Chargers’ Rivers throws 3 picks in crucial loss to Chiefs

Associated PressDec 19, 2017, 3:40 PM EST

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Philip Rivers is no doubt happy he won’t see the Kansas City Chiefs again until next season.

He’d be happier if he never saw them again, period.

No team has caused the Chargers quarterback bigger fits than one of his biggest AFC West rivals, and that rang true again Saturday night. Rivers tossed three interceptions, two to All-Pro cornerback Marcus Peters, in a 30-13 loss that likely dashed the Chargers’ playoff hopes.

“That’s the hardest part,” Rivers said. “While it’s not necessarily over yet, now you’re not in control. You got to make sure you take care of the next couple and hope all kinds of stuff happens. That is the toughest part, to claw to right there, taste it a little bit and then not play very well.”

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That may be an understatement.

Rivers had not thrown an interception during the last four games, which the Chargers (7-7) won to climb into a tie with the Chiefs atop the division heading into their showdown at Arrowhead Stadium. But the veteran quarterback grossly overthrew his intended target early in the second half, and Peters nabbed the jump ball and returned it 62 yards to set up a field goal.

The Chiefs had led 17-13 at that point. The field goal made it a touchdown game.

Chargers running back Austin Ekeler fumbled three plays later, leading to another field goal, and Rivers was picked off by Ron Parker on their ensuing possession to scuttle any comeback hopes.

He was picked again by Peters in the closing minutes to cap a miserable night.

“We just kind of fell apart in a sense,” said Rivers, who was 20 of 36 for 227 yards and a touchdown that will be mostly forgotten. “What we talked about the last four games, not turning the ball over and getting takeaways – we were the opposite of that. We turned it over too many times.

“In this environment against that team,” Rivers said, “it’s hard to win when you turn it over.”

He should know that by now. Rivers threw three interceptions when the Chiefs beat the Chargers 24-10 in Week 3, and has now thrown 13 interceptions during an eight-game losing streak to them.

“I thought this game, those three interceptions were different,” Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said. “He got hit throwing the ball in that last one. We had the wrong route on another one. There were some things that caused those interceptions today, but we have to execute better as an offense.”

The Chargers led 13-10 early in the second half, when Rivers went 5 for 5 for 88 yards in marching them downfield. His 10-yard touchdown toss to tight end Antonio Gates was the 86th time they had connected for a score, making them the second-most prolific scoring tandem in NFL history.

That was the end of their highlights, though.

The Chiefs (8-6) have played Rivers enough over the years to know that he’s prone to mistakes, and they capitalized when his throws became errant. The Chiefs got points from the first three turnovers they forced, and they nearly ran out the clock to end the game after the final interception.

“We know this team pretty well,” Parker said. “It’s like we’re playing against our brothers. We know how they’re going to try to attack us. We have to just do a good job of figuring it out.”

They did a near-perfect job of that Saturday night.

“Saying we fell apart is probably too strong,” Rivers said. “We just didn’t execute the way we needed to win the game. Now we just have to keep going, two games left. Finish it the right way.”

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Sunday Night Football odds: Eagles laying touchdown against Cowboys

OddsSharkNov 10, 2018, 12:51 AM EST

The fact that the Philadelphia Eagles are coming off a bye while the Dallas Cowboys had a short week to work on their road woes should tip off straight-up bettors, but the spread might be another story.

The Eagles, led by quarterback Carson Wentz, are 7-point favorites on the Sunday Night Football odds against the Cowboys with a 43.5-point total at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. Philadelphia is 16-3 straight-up and 12-6-1 against the spread in its last 19 games after having at least a full week off, while Dallas is 0-9 SU in its last nine games after playing the Monday prior.

Dallas carries a good head-to-head trend of being 5-1 SU and ATS in their last six road games at Philadelphia, according to the OddsShark NFL Database, and is also 6-3 ATS in its last nine road games as an underdog of 6.5 or more points.

The Cowboys are 3-5 both SU and ATS after a home loss against the Houston Texans on Monday. Dallas and quarterback Dak Prescott have habitually struggled to score points on the road, and a nicked-up offensive line faces a very strong Eagles defensive line led by tackle Fletcher Cox. For all the formidability of its front four, though, the Eagles are giving up 4.5 yards per rush and Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott should find some room to the outside as both a rusher and pass receiver.

Dallas will be without wide receiver Tavon Austin (groin) and will need more out of Amari Cooper in the passing phase as the ex-Oakland Raider enters his second game for the Cowboys.

The Eagles, who are 4-4 SU and 3-5 ATS and need the win to have any reasonable chance at defending their Super Bowl crown, are 7-1 SU and 6-2 ATS over their last eight games at night. Bettors’ confidence in the Eagles’ offensive capabilities might come down to the health of right tackle Lane Johnson (knee), who is expected to play and provide resistance to the Dallas pass rush.

Quarterback Carson Wentz now has wide receiver Golden Tate, recently acquired via trade, in his arsenal against a Cowboys pass defense that allows the sixth-worst opponents’ passer rating (101.1) in the NFL.

The ground game has generated middling results for the Eagles, who are still hoping either Corey Clement or Wendell Smallwood can take a lead role. Dallas also allows the second-least yards per rush in the NFL, which is a small reason to think the Cowboys will offer some resistance by forcing Wentz into obvious passing downs.

Wentz will likely face some long-yardage scenarios, though, as the Cowboys allow the second-least yards per carry.

There are pronounced UNDER trends in this matchup. The total has gone UNDER in the Cowboys’ last three games against the Eagles, with an average combined score of 30.67 points. The total has gone UNDER in the Cowboys’ last eight games on the road, with an average combined score of 31.25 points. And the total has gone UNDER in eight of the Eagles’ last nine games at home, with an average combined score of 31.89 points.

For more odds information, betting picks and a breakdown of this week’s top sports betting news check out the OddsShark podcast with Jon Campbell and Andrew Avery. Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify or listen to it at OddsShark.libsyn.com.

NFL Week 6 odds: Bengals, Eagles, Patriots are all betting favorites

OddsSharkOct 11, 2018, 8:43 AM EDT

The Cincinnati Bengals usually handle struggling teams, but it’s fair to wonder if that trend will be cancelled out by their long-running difficulties against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Bengals, led by quarterback Andy Dalton, are 2.5-point favorites against the Pittsburgh Steelers on the NFL Week 6 odds with a 53-point total at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.

According to the OddsShark NFL Database, it is only the sixth time in the last 14 seasons that the AFC North-leading Bengals are favored at home against the Steelers, but they are 14-4 straight-up in their last 18 home games against teams with losing records, and are also 6-1 SU and against the spread in their last seven games.

The Steelers, 2-2-1 SU on the season, have dominated the matchup with a 16-2 SU record in their last 18 road games against the Bengals, but they are also 1-6 ATS in their last seven games in the early afternoon.

The Philadelphia Eagles are 3-point road favorites against the New York Giants with a 43-point total for the Thursday Night Football matchup. The Eagles are 14-6 ATS in their last 20 games against the Giants. The total has gone OVER in the Eagles’ last five games against the Giants, with an average combined score of 54.6. The Giants are 2-8 SU and 3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games.

The Seattle Seahawks are 3-point favorites against the Oakland Raiders with a 48-point total in a matchup at Wembley Stadium in London. The Seahawks, who will be idle in Week 7, are 7-0 SU and 6-1 ATS in their last seven games before a bye. The Raiders are 2-5 SU and 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven games before a bye. The total has gone UNDER in 10 of the Raiders’ last 12 games, with an average combined score of 43.33.

The Chicago Bears are 3-point road favorites against the Miami Dolphins with a 42-point total. The Bears are 1-9 SU in their last 10 games on the road against teams with winning records. The total has gone UNDER in five of the Bears’ last seven games, with an average combined score of 37.43. The Dolphins are 0-7-1 ATS in their last eight games at home after consecutive road games.

The Washington Redskins are 1-point favorites against the Carolina Panthers with a 44.5-point total. The Panthers are 4-0 ATS in their last four games against the Redskins. The Redskins are 3-10 SU in their last 13 games in Week 6. The total has gone UNDER in four of the Redskins’ last five games in the early afternoon.

The Los Angeles Rams are 7-point road favorites against the Denver Broncos with a 52.5-point total. The Rams are 8-2 SU and 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games in the late afternoon. The total has gone OVER in eight of the Rams’ last 10 games on the road, with an average combined score of 54.5. The Broncos are 4-13 SU and 2-14-1 ATS in their last 17 games.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are 3-point road favorites against the Dallas Cowboys with a 40.5-point total. The Jaguars are 4-22 SU and 6-20 ATS in their last 26 games in the late afternoon. The Cowboys are 0-5 SU and ATS in their last five games in the late afternoon.

The New England Patriots are 3.5-point favorites against the Kansas City Chiefs with a 59.5-point total in the Sunday Night Football matchup. The Chiefs have covered in every game so far this season and are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games after consecutive ATS wins. The total has gone OVER in 10 of the Chiefs’ last 14 games at night. The Patriots are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games at night.

And the Green Bay Packers are 9.5-point road favorites against the San Francisco 49ers with a 46.5-point total for Monday night’s game. The 49ers are 0-14 SU and 5-9 ATS in their last 14 road games as an underdog of 7.5 or more points. The Packers are 8-2 SU and 6-4 ATS in their last 10 home games as a favorite of 7.5 or more points.