The Kansas City Chiefs are 10-0 SU over their last 10 games but are 0-6-1 ATS over their last seven. The team’s ATS woes may continue with starters resting Sunday when the Chiefs host the Los Angeles Chargers.
- Date/Time: January 3, 4:25 p.m. ET
- Stadium: Arrowhead Stadium
- TV Coverage: Fox
- Sportsbook Odds: Chiefs -1.5 | O/U 45 (Line History)
- Chargers vs Chiefs Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The Chiefs opened as small favorites early last week, but the line has flipped to Los Angeles -3.5 after Kansas City locked up the top spot in the AFC on Sunday. The total opened at 45 points and has since moved down to 44 points. Kansas City is 3-0 SU and 2-1 ATS in its last three games against Los Angeles.
Los Angeles News & Notes
The Chargers improved to 3-0 SU and ATS over their last three games with a win at home over the Denver Broncos last Sunday. Justin Herbert finished the day with 253 passing yards and a passing touchdown, moving his season totals up to 4,034 passing yards and 28 passing touchdowns with 10 interceptions. Herbert ranks in the top 10 league-wide in both touchdown passes and passing yards despite not playing in Los Angeles’s first game.
A win over the Chiefs on Sunday wouldn’t mean as much as it might have earlier in the season with a bunch of Kansas City’s players resting. But ending the season on a 4-0 SU run would be a great way to build on the optimism that Herbert is giving this franchise and fans about the future.
Kansas City News & Notes
Andy Reid has already announced his intentions to rest starters in Sunday’s game, though he has not given a specific report on who will play and who will have the day off. If Patrick Mahomes does play, it isn’t likely to be for more than a series or two.
The rest vs rust debate is always an interesting one when it comes to trying to decide how to handle players ahead of a bye before the postseason, but this Chiefs team is 23-1 SU over its last 24 games and Reid is one of the best in the business at preparing his teams for their games out of bye weeks.
With these factors in mind, Kansas City will almost certainly be rolling with a very backup-heavy lineup on Sunday. For as dominant as the Chiefs have been in the win-loss column, their 0-6-1 ATS skid has been a killer for backers. Kansas City was 15-2 ATS over its previous 17 games before the recent slide.
Betting Pick: Los Angeles -3.5
The Chargers are playing great and will be fired up to try to win this one. The Chiefs will be resting players and are just going through the motions until the playoffs start. Los Angeles is the clear choice here.
- Los Angeles is 1-12 SU in its last 13 games vs Kansas City.
- Kansas City is 13-1 SU in its last 14 home games.
- The UNDER is 4-1 in Los Angeles’s last 5 games.
