Broncos vs. Chargers Final Score Prediction for Thursday Night Football in NFL Week 16

The Broncos are an NFL-best 11-3 against the spread this season.

The Broncos are an NFL-best 11-3 against the spread this season. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers currently hold the final two playoff spots in the AFC, and they’ll match up in primetime on Thursday Night Football in Week 16.

Los Angeles won the first meeting between these teams in Denver, holding the Broncos offense scoreless until the fourth quarter. 

However, it’s been Denver (9-5) who is playing better right now, winning four games in a row and covering the spread in 11 of 14 games this season. 

Oddsmakers have set the Broncos as underdogs in this matchup, but the Chargers were blown out in their last game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

With Los Angeles sitting in the No. 7 seed in the AFC, this game may mean a little more to Jim Harbaugh’s squad. A loss would put them in a precarious position entering the final two weeks of the season if teams like Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Miami win.

As for the Broncos, they would clinch a playoff spot for the first time since they won Super Bowl 50 with a win.

Here’s a breakdown of the odds for this game, as well as my final score prediction based on the insight from our NFL betting insider. 

Broncos vs. Chargers Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Broncos +3 (-112)
• Chargers -3 (-108)

Moneyline

• Broncos: +124
• Chargers: -148

Total

• 42.5 (Over -108/Under -112)

The Broncos did lose to the Chargers at home earlier this season, but they are an NFL-best 11-3 against the spread. As road underdogs, Denver is 4-1 against the spread.

The Chargers enter this game at an impressive 4-1 ATS as home favorites, so something has to give in this matchup. 

Broncos vs. Chargers Final Score Prediction

Earlier this week, SI Betting’s NFL betting insider Iain MacMillan shared his pick for this game, and he thinks taking the points with the Broncos is the smart bet: 

Jim Harbaugh has clearly made a huge difference for the Chargers in his first season as the head coach, but Los Angeles is still clearly lacking some skill players on the offensive side of the football. Not only that, but their dominant defense has struggled in recent weeks.

The biggest matchup to watch in this game is the Chargers' pass attack against the Broncos secondary. Denver's secondary ranks inside the top three in virtually every pass defense statistic while the Chargers, outside of McConkey, have few weapons in the passing game. Justin Herbert has been able to succeed despite his lack of weapons, but that may not fly against a secondary as strong as the Broncos.

I'll take the points with the Broncos and lean on their defense to keep this game close.

I’ll take things even further. Denver’s defense has been one of – if not the best – in the NFL this season. The difference has been the play of Bo Nix and this offense, which has put up at least 29 points in each of its last four games. 

Denver is going to pull off the upset in this one and win a fifth game in a row.

Final Score Prediction: Broncos 23, Chargers 20

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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