The second week of the 2022 NFL schedule kicks off on Thursday Night Football after a hugely thrilling first week. Los Angeles Chargers will play the Kansas City Chiefs in an AFC West matchup at Arrowhead Stadium. Both clubs are led by elite quarterbacks, with Justin Herbert emerging as the Chargers' face and Patrick Mahomes dominating for the Chiefs. Both clubs won their season-opening contests last week to start the year at 1-0. The two teams split their two meetings in 2021, each winning on the road.
Kickoff in Kansas City is set at 8:15 p.m. ET. According to Caesars Sportsbook, Kansas City is a four-point home favorite, and the most recent Chargers vs. Chiefs odds indicate that 54 points will be scored overall, or the over/under. See what SportsLine expert R.J. White has to say before making any Chiefs vs. Chargers choices or NFL predictions for Thursday Night Football.
White, a Fantasy and gambling writer for CBS Sports, frequently dominates as SportsLine's No. 1 NFL expert in predictions against the spread. From 2017 to 21 he went 445-378-24, returning $2,542 to $100 bettors on his ATS selections. Additionally, he has a staggering 17-5-1 record when picking NFL games featuring the Chargers, thus he is a strong candidate for this choice.
He gained notoriety by winning significant prizes twice in the Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest in 2015. Additionally, White made a lot of money betting on NFL futures in 2021, including a 10-1 win on Jonathan Taylor to be the league's leading rusher. Everyone who has followed him is very successful.
Now, White has locked in on Chargers vs. Chiefs from every angle and released a confident against-the-spread pick. You can visit SportsLine now to see his TNF picks. Here are several NFL odds and betting lines for Chiefs vs. Chargers:
Chargers vs. Chiefs spread: Chiefs -4
Chargers vs. Chiefs over/under: 54 points
Chargers vs. Chiefs money line: Chiefs -210, Chargers +175
LAC: Chargers are 9-9 against the spread in the last 18 games
KC: Chiefs are 11-10 against the spread in the last 21 games
Chargers vs. Chiefs picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Chargers can cover
With Justin Herbert at the helm, the Chargers have had success at Arrowhead Stadium. Over Herbert's tenure, Los Angeles is 2-0 against Kansas City, with the gifted quarterback accumulating 583 passing yards and seven touchdowns during two contests. With 279 yards and three touchdowns in Week 1, Herbert proved that he is a superior option in every situation. Since the 2021 season, Herbert has thrown for more than 5,000 yards and 38 touchdowns, ranking among the top four quarterbacks in NFL history for passing yards and touchdowns through 33 games.
Because of this, the Chargers are extremely explosive, finishing in the top five of the league in passing offense, overall offense, and scoring offense last season. Despite not being a physical specimen, running back Austin Ekeler finished 2021 with more than 1,500 yards from scrimmage, good for sixth place in the NFL. The Chargers may also find comfort in a defense that generated six sacks in the season's first game four days ago, and Ekeler also shared the league lead with Jonathan Taylor with 20 touchdown passes last season.
Why the Chiefs can cover
Although Kansas City's defense isn't renowned, the 2022 season-opening established a high bar. In Week 1, the Chiefs limited the potent Cardinals offense to only 282 total yards, and Arizona only managed 4.4 net yards per pass attempt. With 44 points scored in Week 1, Kansas City led the NFL. The Chiefs also amassed 488 total yards and 33 first downs. The Chiefs also amassed a staggering 33 first downs, went 6-for-6 in the end zone, and converted more than 60% of their third down opportunities.
Kansas City excelled in protecting Patrick Mahomes, allowing no sacks in the first game, and the Chiefs ran the ball well against the Cardinals. With a rotation of running backs, the Chiefs managed 128 rushing yards and a score on only 27 touches. During the 2021 season, Kansas City was among the top four teams in the NFL for both scoring offense and total offense.
How to make Chiefs vs. Chargers picks
For Thursday Night Football, White is leaning Under on the point total, but he also says a critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back. He's only sharing what it is and which side of the Chargers vs. Chiefs spread to back at SportsLine.
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