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NFL Lines Favor Patriots Over Chargers in Week 8

NFL Lines Favor Patriots Over Chargers in Week 8

Written by on October 26, 2017

The NFL is missing some star power at quarterback these days. That won’t be a problem on Sunday afternoon in Foxboro, however, as future Hall of Famers Philip Rivers of the Los Angeles Chargers and Tom Brady face off for perhaps the final time in their careers. The Pats are -7 in the NFL lines for Week 8.

LA Chargers at New England NFL Lines & Betting Pick for Week 8

When: Sunday, 1 PM ET Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Mass. TV: CBS Radio: KFI-AM 640 (LA) / 98.5 FM (New England) Stream Option: NFL Live Opening NFL Lines: Patriots -7 (48.5)

Weather Forecast

  • Overcast: 18°C/65°F
  • Humidity: 73%
  • Precipitation: 24%
  • Wind: 13 mph SSE
  • Cloud Cover: 83%
  • Type of Stadium: Open

Last Meeting

The Patriots lead the regular-season series with a 21-14-2 record and are 23-15-2 overall against the Chargers. It will be the third meeting between the Patriots and the Los Angeles Chargers, as the Chargers were located in Los Angeles during their first season of play in 1960. The two teams split the series in 1960. The Chargers will be visiting Gillette Stadium for the first time since the 2011 season when the Patriots won, 35-21, on Sept. 18, 2011. The teams last met in 2014 and the then-San Diego Chargers lost 23-14 at home to the Patriots. Brady threw a 69-yard touchdown pass to Julian Edelman midway through the fourth quarter. Edelman is out for this season injured. The Chargers didn’t score in the second half. Brady completed 28 of 44 passes for 317 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Rivers completed 20 of 33 passes for only 189 yards.

Top NFL Week 8 Straight Up Picks & Game Previews

Latest NFL Betting Trends

  • LA Chargers are 3-8-1 ATS in the last 12 games
  • LA Chargers are 3-9 SU in the last 12 games
  • The total went UNDER in 4 of LA Chargers’s last 6 games
  • New England is 11-4 ATS in its last 15 games
  • New England is 15-2 SU in its last 17 games
  • The total has gone OVER in 8 of New England’s last 11 games

Why Bet On LA Chargers’ NFL Lines?

The Chargers have won three consecutive games, including last week’s 21-0 victory over Denver. Los Angeles limited the Broncos to 251 total net yards and became the first team to shut out Denver since November 22, 1992. Travis Benjamin returned a punt 65 yards for a touchdown and added a 42-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Rivers. Benjamin was the first Charger to have a punt-return touchdown and a TD reception in the same game since Eric Metcalf on November 30, 1997. The Bolts got bad news, though, as left guard and team captain Matt Slauson will miss the rest of the season with a biceps injury.  He was hurt midway through the third quarter vs. Denver. The nine-year veteran will be replaced at left guard by rookie Dan Feeney, who was the Chargers’ third-round pick in this year’s draft.  Slauson becomes the third offensive lineman to be lost for the year as Forrest Lamp suffered an ACL injury during training camp while Chris Hairston was placed on the Reserve-Non Football Illness list in September. Rivers is ranked fifth in passing yards (1,816), fifth in completions (156) and seventh in touchdowns (12).  He’s gotten solid protection up front, as his 10 sacks are the fifth-fewest of any quarterback with at least 200 pass attempts.  Keenan Allen has a team-leading 36 receptions for 487 yards and one TD.  His 16 catches for a first down are five more than the next closest player.  Melvin Gordon has rushed 117 times for 394 yards and three rushing touchdowns while ranking second on the team with 29 catches for 228 yards and four receiving TDs. The Chargers rank 17th in total offense (330.4 yards per game), eighth in passing (251.3 ypg), 31st in rushing (79.1 ypg) and 20th in points (19.6). Defensively, the Bolts rank 13th in total defense (326.0 ypg), fifth in passing (185.4 ypg), 31st in rushing (140.6 ypg) and eighth in points allowed (18.7).

Team Statistics

Offense:
  • Average Score For: 19.57
  • Total Yards: 330.43
  • Pass Yards: 251.29
  • Rush Yards: 79.14
Defense:
  • Average Score Against: 18.71
  • Total Yards: 326
  • Pass Yards: 185.43
  • Rush Yards: 140.57

Why Bet On New England’s NFL Lines?

The New England Patriots have also won three games in a row, including a 23-7 win over Atlanta on Sunday night in a rematch of Super Bowl LI. Brady threw two touchdown passes – one each to wide receiver Brandin Cooks and running back James White – to lead the Patriots past the Falcons for the second time in eight months. Since 2000, New England is first in the NFL with a 56-18 record in the month of October. Pittsburgh is second during that time frame with a 49-21 record. Brady leads the NFL with 2,208 passing yards and is tied for the AFC lead with 15 touchdown passes. He is the first player to pass for at least 2,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in his team’s first seven games at the age of 40 or older. Brady’s first 300-yard game was on Oct. 14, 2001 when he completed 33-of-54 passes for 364 yards in a 29-26 overtime win vs. the Chargers.  The legend of Brady really got going in that game as it was the first comeback win in his career. Are the Patriots a safe bet in Week 8? Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who has missed the last two games with a concussion, returned to practice this week and thus is likely to play. He might have lost his job, though. The Patriots rank first in total offense (410.7 ypg), second in passing (300.0 ypg), 17th in rushing (110.7 ypg) and sixth in points (27.9). New England ranks 32nd in total defense (426.7 ypg), 32nd in passing (310.3 ypg), 22nd in rushing (116.4 ypg) and 23rd in points allowed (23.7).

Team Statistics

Offense:
  • Average Score For: 27.86
  • Total Yards: 410.71
  • Pass Yards: 300
  • Rush Yards: 110.71
Defense:
  • Average Score Against: 23.71
  • Total Yards: 426.72
  • Pass Yards: 310.29
  • Rush Yards: 116.43

Expert Prediction & Pick for NFL Week 8

I don’t recommend betting any game right at 7, so buy it down to 6.5 and take New England in the NFL lines.