Betting Overview:
When San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York proclaimed that his then 0-3 San Francisco 49ers would not only make the playoffs but they would also win the division, it was considered one of the most ludicrous NFL predictions of the season. But as the NFL scores kept rolling in, the 49ers find themselves at 5-8 and only one game out of first place in an extremely weak NFC West. After pounding the Seattle Seahawks 40-21 in week 14, the 49ers turn their attention to the San Diego Chargers.
The San Diego Chargers used to be good money for NFL betting in December. No matter how the Chargers had done earlier in the season, they always seemed to sweep December and make the playoffs. This December has been a bit different. The Chargers lost a key week 13 game to the Oakland Raiders that put San Diego two games back of first place Kansas City in the AFC West. But the Chargers beat Kansas City in week 14, and are riding a wave of momentum into this game against the 49ers.
Offense:
The San Diego Chargers have watched their offensive production fall off in December. The Chargers are now ranked second in the league in offense averaging a total of 400 yards per game. But do not let a fall in the rankings fool you. The Chargers still have a potent running game headed by a healthy rookie running back Ryan Mathews, and the passing game still features an extremely accurate quarterback in Philip Rivers.
The San Francisco 49ers just cannot seem to make up their minds. For some reason, quarterback Troy Smith was benched for the already-once-benched Alex Smith two games ago. When Troy Smith was playing, he was creating a buzz in the league. But the 49ers have shown that they desperately want Alex Smith to be the starting quarterback and it looks like they made the right choice so far. Running back Frank Gore cannot get blocking from the offensive line, and there is no underneath passing game that features tight end Vernon Davis. The problems with the San Francisco offense seem to be coaching rather than the players.
Defense:
The San Diego Chargers still have the number one ranked defense in the league. It is a fast defense that puts pressure on the quarterback and stuffs the run at the line of scrimmage. The defensive backfield is extremely fast and getting smarter every week. The 49ers defense is the very kind of defense that the San Francisco 49ers cannot play well against.
The 49ers have the 11th ranked defense in the league allowing an average of 327 yards per game. But that was established against teams like the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks. The 49ers won’t have any answers for an offense like the one the Chargers bring to the table.
The Bottom Line:
The sad thing about the NFC West is that the 49ers could lose this game and still be in the hunt for the divisional crown. When you spend all season playing weak teams like the ones in the NFC West, you are in no condition to take on the San Diego Chargers.
BSN Sports Pick: San Diego Chargers
