PREMIUM
Stephen Nover's NFL Total of the Week
(NFL) LA Chargers vs. New England,
Total: 48.50 | -108.00 Over
Result: Win
Total: 48.50 | -108.00 Over
Result: Win
Normally you wouldn't think of these two teams as having defenses you can trust to play Under.
But the Chargers are coming off a shutout of Denver. They've given up an average of 12.6 points in their last three games. No team has scored more than 26 points on the Chargers all season.
Tom Brady has been sacked 18 times. He only was sacked 15 times in 12 games last season. The Chargers are tied for the fourth-most sacks in the NFL. Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa have combined for 16 sacks, which is the most in the league by two teammates.
The Patriots have yet to fully replace Julian Edelman in the slot and their red zone touchdown percentage isn't what it has been because of it.
New England's defense was record bad during its first four games allowing an average of 32 points. But Bill Belichick has made the proper adjustments simplifying things for his secondary particularly Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung and Duron Harmon. The Patriots have held their last three opponents to 12.7 points per game. Two of those foes, the Buccaneers and Falcons, have strong offenses.
Philip Rivers has played better on the road than at home, but his performance has been down the past couple of seasons. He's still an above average quarterback, but not the elite gunslinger of previous years.
But the Chargers are coming off a shutout of Denver. They've given up an average of 12.6 points in their last three games. No team has scored more than 26 points on the Chargers all season.
Tom Brady has been sacked 18 times. He only was sacked 15 times in 12 games last season. The Chargers are tied for the fourth-most sacks in the NFL. Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa have combined for 16 sacks, which is the most in the league by two teammates.
The Patriots have yet to fully replace Julian Edelman in the slot and their red zone touchdown percentage isn't what it has been because of it.
New England's defense was record bad during its first four games allowing an average of 32 points. But Bill Belichick has made the proper adjustments simplifying things for his secondary particularly Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung and Duron Harmon. The Patriots have held their last three opponents to 12.7 points per game. Two of those foes, the Buccaneers and Falcons, have strong offenses.
Philip Rivers has played better on the road than at home, but his performance has been down the past couple of seasons. He's still an above average quarterback, but not the elite gunslinger of previous years.
