Bengals Chargers Odds
Posted by Jimmy Boyd - Google+
The San Diego Chargers (4-7) host the Cincinnati Bengals (6-5) Sunday at 4:25 PM ET in AFC non-division action. Oddsmakers have listed the Bengals as a 1.5-point favorite and have set the total at 46.0.
Why Cincinnati Covers
The Bengals have won three in a row both straight up and against the spread in impressive fashion. These wins have come by an average of 21.3 points with each coming by at least 18 points.
The Chargers, on the other hand, have lost three in a row six of seven. They are just 1-5-1 against the spread during this stretch.
San Diego is typically solid at home, but it is just 2-3 in home games this season. Cincinnati, meanwhile, is 3-2 on the road. The Bengals’ winning record away from home is significant because the Chargers are 0-5 against the spread in their last five home games versus a team that has a winning road record.
The Bengals are 9-4-2 against the spread in their last 15 road games. It is also worth noting that they are on a 6-0 against the spread run in road games after one or more consecutive covers. They have won by an average score of 27.5 to 14.8 in these six contests.
The Chargers are allowing their opponents to complete 62.9 percent of their passes on the season. This number jumps to 65.6 percent when playing at home. This information is significant because the Bengals are on an 8-1 against the spread run versus teams that allow a completion percentage of 61.0 percent of higher. They have won by an average score of 28.2 to 17.0 in these nine games.
San Diego’s defense could be in trouble with as hot as quarterback Andy Dalton has been. The second-year signal caller has passed for 639 yards with nine touchdowns and no interceptions over his last three games.
It is also significant that the Bengals rank 10th in the NFL in scoring with 25.6 points per game. Consider that San Diego is just 1-8 against the spread versus good offensive teams that average 24.0 points or more per game since the beginning of last season. It has lost to these teams by an average score of 30.1 to 23.1.
Why San Diego Covers
It is important to note that San Diego was held to just 13 points in last week’s loss to the Ravens. That’s because it is on a 6-0 against the spread run in games following a game where it was held to 14 points or fewer. It has won these six contests by an average score of 35.5 to 14.3. It is worth noting that two of these wins have come this season.
December has been San Diego’s month since Norv Turner was brought aboard. It is an impressive 15-6 against the spread in the month of December under his watch and has won these games by an average score of 30.3 to 17.1.
The Chargers have had the upper hand in the series. They are 8-3 (7-4 ATS) versus the Bengals over the last two decades, including 5-1 (4-2 ATS) at home during this span. It is also worth noting that the underdog has covered the number in four of the past five meetings.
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