Thursday Night Football odds, spread, line: Chargers vs. Chiefs prediction, NFL picks from expert who is 17-5
After a wildly exciting opening week of the 2022 NFL schedule, week two kicks off in earnest on Thursday Night Football. The Kansas City Chiefs welcome the Los Angeles Chargers to Arrowhead Stadium for an AFC West tilt. Both teams are led by star quarterbacks, with Patrick Mahomes playing for the Chiefs and Justin Herbert emerging as the face of the Chargers. The two teams split a pair of head-to-head games in 2021, with both winning on the road and each winning last week in the season opener to start the campaign at 1-0.
Kick-off is at 20:15. ET in Kansas City. Caesars Sportsbook lists Kansas City as a four-point home favorite, while the total number of points Vegas thinks it will score is 54 in the latest Chargers vs. Chiefs. Before making any Chiefs vs. Chargers or NFL predictions for Thursday Night Football, see what SportsLine expert R.J. White must say.
White, Fantasy and Gambling Editor for CBS Sports, consistently crushes SportsLine’s No. 1 pick in the NFL in tips against the spread, going 445-378-24 on his 2017-21 ATS picks, netting players $2,542 per $100. He also went an incredible 17-5-1 in his NFL picks, which included the Chargers, making him well qualified for this selection.
He is known for cashing twice in the Super Contest Westgate Las Vegas since 2015. White also cashed in big on his NFL futures in 2021, including Jonathan Taylor as the NFL’s leading rusher at 10-1. Anyone who followed him is way up there.
Why can chargers cover
The Chargers have enjoyed trips to Arrowhead Stadium with Justin Herbert at the helm. Los Angeles is 2-0 in Kansas City during Herbert’s tenure, with the talented quarterback throwing for 583 yards and seven touchdowns in those games. Herbert is an elite option in any context, as evidenced by his 279 yards and three touchdowns in Week 1. Entering the 2021 season, Herbert has thrown for more than 5,000 yards and 38 touchdowns and ranks among the top four in NFL history in passing and passing touchdowns in the first 33 career matches.
The Chargers are highly explosive as a result, ranking in the top five in the league in passing offense, total offense and scoring offense a year ago. Running back Austin Ekeler is no slouch, but he racked up over 1,500 yards from scrimmage in 2021, ranking 6th in the NFL. Ekeler also tied Jonathan Taylor for the league lead with 20 touchdowns last season, and the Chargers can also take solace in a defense that produced a season-opening six sacks four days ago.
Why the Chiefs can cover
Kansas City isn’t known for its defense, but it has set a strong foundation to open the 2022 season. The Chiefs held the Cardinals’ high-powered offense to 282 total yards in Week 1, and Arizona averaged just 4.4 net yards per pass attempt. Kansas City scored the most points in the NFL in Week 1 with 44, and the Chiefs piled up 488 total yards and 33 first downs. The Chiefs also racked up a whopping 33 first downs and Kansas City went 6-for-6 in the red zone and converted over 60% of third down chances.
Kansas City protected Patrick Mahomes at an elite level, allowing zero sacks in the opener, and the Chiefs also ran the ball effectively against the Cardinals. The Chiefs used 27 carries to pile up 128 rushing yards and a touchdown with a rotation of running backs, and Kansas City ranked among the top four in the NFL in scoring and total offense during the 2021 season.
