Detroit Lions vs Los Angeles Chargers Point Spread Picks

Los Angeles has decent backup quarterback experience for the preseason, with Taylor Heinicke, Trey Lance, and D.J. Uiagalelei battling behind Justin Herbert. Coach Jim Harbaugh is also very good, even in the preseason, where he has a winning record. He's also 10-6 ATS in August. The Chargers have won their last three preseason games away from home, at Dallas (26-19), the Rams (34-17 in Week 1), and at San Francisco (23-12). The Detroit Lions won't play any starters in their preseason opener. QBs Hendon Hooker and Kyle Allen will carry the load. The Lions lack depth on the offensive line at center, while the defensive secondary has struggled with injuries this summer. Detroit showed nothing in last year's first preseason game, losing to the Giants, 14-3. QB Hooker was 5-of-9 for 36 yards while the team was 5-of-17 on third down. Coach Dan Campbell has a losing preseason record and is 3-6-1 ATS in August, including 1-3 ATS in the first game. And NFL preseason road dogs of +2.5 or less are 75-38 ATS over the last decade. Play Los Angeles.

Both of these teams are coming off overtime games. The Chargers were a 30-24 winner over the Colts while Detroit looks to bounce back from a 27-27 tie with the Cardinals after blowing an 18-point fourth-quarter lead. The Lions outgained Arizona 477-387 and Matthew Stafford finished 27-of-45 for 385 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. The Lions even got a running game going for a change with 116 rushing yards on 32 carries and the game went OVER by 8.5 points. The Chargers went OVER for the fifth straight time in September games and Austin Ekeler did his part in filling in for holdout Melvin Gordon and totaled 154 yards with 58 rushing yards and catching six passes for 96 yards. Philip Rivers was his usual self in completing 25-of-34 for 333 yards and three touchdowns. The Chargers are just 1-6-2 ATS in their last nine September games and they are 15-5-1 OVER in Week 2 over the last 21 seasons. Detroit would have iced the game on Sunday if not for a misguided timeout called by the coaching staff fearing a delay of game penalty. The Lions were clearly the superior team until the final minutes against the Cardinals and now they get a home game against the Chargers, who had to travel after an overtime game of their own. Play the Lions and the OVER.

The Detroit Lions have an issue that has been haunting them for the last 15 years. They have a winning road record in just one of their last 15 seasons (5-4), and they simply have to do better than that to be a serious playoff contender. The overall mark is an ugly 24-90 SU. They have only been a road favorite 23 times since the start of the 1997 season, and stand at 8-15 and 4-19 ATS. If you think that has improved as they have recently gotten better, it hasn't been the case. They are 0-4 ATS, three of which came last year. San Diego looks like Dallas did last season. They may finally have a consistent running game to take the heat off Phillip Rivers, and he may have a season like Romo did last season. Playoff teams from a season ago, playing as a road dog are 7-15 ATS the last 16 years, while the Chargers are a perfect 7-0 ATS under Mike McCoy in September. Take San Diego to get off to another good start.

The San Diego Chargers started the season 4-1 and it looked like they finally figured out how to keep themselves out of a big hole. All that changed when they lost six straight to drop to 4-7. Left for dead, the Chargers have breathed life into their palyoff hopes with three straight wins. What's going on? How good are the Chargers, really? They are not as good as the team that should have made the playoffs a year ago. That team was solid on both sides of the ball (ranked #1 in both offense and defense), but their errors and special teams killed them. This year the defense is not nearly as good and Phillip Rivers is having the worst season of his career. Rivers was mentioned in the same breath as Brady, Manning and Brees before this season started. But, he has been a turnover machine as he has thrown 17 INTs on the season, and has stopped numerous drives. The New England Patriots take a lot of flak for their lack of defense, but believe it or not the Chargers have allowed the same QB rating against their defense as New England has theirs this season. This miraculous three game winning stretch has come with only one win over a quality team, Baltimore, and the "quality" of that team right now is debatable. The other two wins came against 4-10 Jacksonville and 5-9 Buffalo. Detroit has to be feeling good after snatching victory from defeat last week at Oakland with a last second TD drive to win by a single point. With 33 TD passes Matthew Stafford can sure take advantage of this pourous Chargers defense, especially at home. San Diego has had trouble putting up the numbers on both sides of the ball in consecutive games, and are 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 after gaining over 350 yards the previous game. The Lions have not lost ATS in their last eight as a favorite of -3 or fewer. Play on Detroit in this one.