Fading Broncos Benching Wilson for Duel with Chargers
Broncos vs Chargers Picks: Denver Holding Steady at -3
With their playoff hopes all but dashed, the Denver Broncos are making a quarterback change for the final two games. That’s just one of the notable changes that bettors may see when Denver hosts the AFC West rival Chargers on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET).
Even so, Denver remains a 3-point favorite and -155 on the moneyline. Conversely, Los Angeles is +3 on the NFL betting line and +130 to win outright. Meanwhile the projected total is 37.5, with a slight -112 lean to the Over. That’s the second lowest total of the week behind Jets/Browns (35).
To help you make your Chargers vs Broncos picks, we’ve broken down both teams. Here’s more on the NFL matchup.
Chargers vs Broncos 
Day/Time:
Location: Empower Field at Mile High; Denver
Streaming: CBS
Chargers vs Broncos Betting Trends
The Los Angeles Chargers are 6-9, including 3-4 away from home. The Chargers have gone Under the projected total in 10 of their 15 games, matching the second highest rate (66.7%) in the NFL. Meanwhile, the Denver Broncos are 5-9-1 ATS, including 3-5 at home. Denver is 7-8 against the Over/Under but has gone Under the total in seven of its last eight games. That’s important to remember when making your Chargers vs Broncos picks.
Limping to the Finish
The Los Angeles Chargers fared better than expected in their first game under interim coach Giff Smith but still came up short, falling 24-22 to Buffalo in Week 16. Los Angeles, a 12.5-point underdog, was playing its first game since firing Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco following a 63-21 loss to Las Vegas.
Sitting last place in the AFC West Division at 5-10, Los Angeles has already been eliminated from the playoffs. The Chargers are currently projected to pick sixth in the 2024 NFL Draft.
With Justin Herbert out for the season with a broken index finger on his right throwing hand, Easton Stick is slated to get another start at quarterback. The 2019 fifth-rounder, who’d attempted just one NFL pass prior to this NFL season, has completed 66.3% of his passes through two starts, with three touchdowns and just one interception.
Los Angeles has been difficult for bettors to trust, having covered in just two of its last seven games. As an underdog, it’s just 1-5 ATS and 0-6 OU. The Chargers have also gone Under the projected total in five of their last six road games. Bettors should keep that in mind when compiling their Chargers vs Broncos picks.
Wilson, Broncos All But Out
Mathematically, the Denver Broncos are still alive for AFC playoffs. However, their hopes are incredibly slim. Sitting at 7-8 following their Week 16 loss to New England, the Broncos need to win out and get a whole lot of help to qualify. In fact, oddsmakers list them as a +850 longshot.
Denver’s chances are slim enough that it’s benching Russell Wilson for the final two games to preserve financial flexibility for the offseason. More specifically, if Wilson were to suffer a significant enough injury to prevent him from passing a physical in March, he’d be owed $37 million guaranteed in 2025. Thus, by sitting him, the Broncos may have a clearer path at getting out of his contract.
With Wilson sidelined, Jarrett Stidham is expected to start at quarterback. Stidham last played in 2022, appearing in five games for the Raiders. He’s a career 58.8% passer, with six touchdowns and seven interceptions.
The Broncos, who have lost three of their last four games, may also be without its top playmaker in receiver Courtland Sutton. Sutton left Sunday’s loss in the second quarter and was later ruled out with a concussion. He leads the Broncos in receptions (58), receiving yards (770) and touchdowns (10).
Notably, Denver is just 2-6 ATS as a favorite and 4-4 OU.
Handicapping the Game
The NFL’s Week 17 slate figures a few marquee matchups. This isn’t one of them. The best we can tell you is that this battle of backup quarterbacks could be reasonably close. But again, there’s not much to get excited about.
Both teams are basically playing out the string, which tends to produce unpredictable results. The odds could certainly change over the next few days, especially if the injury lists for both teams continue to grow.
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