Week 14 NFL Betting Picks: San Diego At Carolina

Posted by Peter Brennan on Wednesday,December 7, 2016 6:20, EDT in

NFL News, Betting Tips, Picks & Previews

Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers will look to snap out of the funk they’ve been in nearly all season long when they host Philip Rivers and the explosive San Diego Chargers in an intriguing Week 14 matchup.

The NFL betting line for this affair favors the Panthers by a point. Kick-off is this Sunday, December 11, 2016 at 1:00 PM ET, live from Bank of America Stadium while airing on CBS.

A Closer Look At The Week 14 NFL Betting Picks: Chargers At Panthers

When: Sunday, December 11, 2016 at 1:00 PM ET
Where: Bank of America Stadium
TV: CBS
Live Stream: CBS Sports Network
NFL Odds: Carolina -1 / Total: 48

Why Bet The San Diego Chargers

Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers (5- SU, 7-5 ATS) have alternated SU wins and losses over their last four games but were on the wrong end of a 28-21 loss against red-hot Tampa Bay this past Sunday while failing to cover the spread as a 3-point favorite.

For the season, Rivers has completed 62.6 percent of his passes with 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Second-year running back Melvin Gordon has rushed for a team-high 992 yards and 10 touchdowns while hauling in 41 receptions for two additional scores.

The Bolts might have a losing record right now, but they’re also own of the most dangerous in football in ranking fourth in scoring at 27.8 points per game. Defensively, San Diego Chargers ranks an uninspiring 26th in points allowed (26.6 ppg).

Why Bet The Carolina Panthers

Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers (4-8 SU, 3-7-2 ATS) have lost two straight and three of their last four games overall and come into this matchup off a pitiful 40-7 blowout loss against Seattle this past weekend while never coming close to covering the NFL betting line as a 9-point underdog.

For the season, Newton has completed a dismal 54.7 percent of his passes with 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions while rushing for an additional 286 yards and five touchdowns. Veteran running back Jonathan Stewart has rushed for a team-high 511 yards and seven touchdowns while veteran tight end Greg Olsen has recorded a team-high 61 receptions.

Carolina has struggled mightily to score the ball this season (23.5 ppg), while also ranking an uninspiring 27th in points allowed (26.7 ppg).

Expert ATS Pick & Final Score Prediction

Carolina is just 1-3-1 ATS in their last five home games and looks like a team that has given up all hopes at this point. Conversely, San Diego has compiled a bankroll-boosting 11-5 ATS mark in their last 16 games and equally impressive 10-2 ATS in their last 12 road games.

For me, San Diego’s ability to put points on the board in a hurry, combined with Carolina’s sudden inability to stop the opposition, leads me to the conclusion that the Panthers will win outright.