The San Diego Chargers can clinch a return to the NFL post-season when they take on the Kansas City Chiefs as 2.5-point road underdogs at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com in one of the pivotal matchups for Week 17 of the season.
The 9-6 Chargers kept their playoff hopes alive last weekend with a stunning 38-35 comeback win over the San Francisco 49ers, overcoming a 21-point halftime deficit to hand the Niners their fourth consecutive (SU) defeat. The win ended the Chargers’ two-game SU and against the spread (ATS) losing streak, and marked the fourth time this season that San Diego posted an outright victory as an underdog.
While the victory gives San Diego the inside track on clinching the final AFC Wild Card, they have been less than a desirable bet of late, going 2-8 ATS in their last 10, including a 23-20 loss to K.C. in Week 7 when they failed to cover as three-point home favourites.
With a record of 8-7, Kansas City enters Sunday afternoon’s Chargers-Chiefs betting matchup at Arrowhead Stadium grasping fading playoff hopes.
The Chiefs, 1-4 SU and ATS in their last five, need a SU win combined with losses by Houston and Pittsburgh to secure a playoff spot. However, K.C. has struggled in recent meetings with San Diego, just 3-11 SU in their last 14 meetings overall, and 2-5 SU in their last seven matchups at Arrowhead.
The Pittsburgh Steelers can clinch the AFC North title with a win on Sunday night when they take on the 10-4-1 Cincinnati Bengals as three-point favourites on the Week 17 NFL betting lines.
The 10-5 Steelers are 7-2 SU in their last nine, ending their two-year absence from the playoffs, but have rewarded bettors this season with inconsistency. The Steelers are 3-0 ATS in their last three, but a mediocre 7-8 ATS on the season, going 5-5 ATS as favourites.
The Bengals maintained their grip on first place in the AFC North with a thrilling 37-28 win over Denver on Monday night and can claim the division title with a SU win or tie. However, Cincy is a mere 2-5 SU and ATS in their last seven visits to the Steel City according to the OddsShark NFL Database.
In other Week 17 NFL betting action at the sportsbooks, the 9-6 Ravens welcome the free-falling Cleveland Browns to town as 8.5-point favourites, while the 8-7 Houston Texans take on the 3-12 Jacksonville Jaguars as heavy 10-point home favourites.
