Kansas City at Los Angeles

The Chargers have won five straight games and everyone is in their corner right now, including the odds-makers. They won in Kansas City earlier in the season by 30, when they weren't even playing well. Now they are on a roll having won five in a row by a combined score of 145-69 and they are coming off a game in which they won 32-3. So, why not a repeat blowout here? Well for starters this isn't the same Chiefs team that was 1-5 when they were facing the Chargers. That team was being outscored on average 26-15 at the time. But the team since has won two in a row, and has outscored opponents by a 21-19 margin in their last three. That is an improvement of seven points per game on both sides of the ball. The biggest difference, in addition to finally getting used to a new head coach and system, is getting rid of Larry Johnson who was killing the running game at a putrid 2.7 yards per carry. Jamaal Charles, with the same offensive line, is averaging 4.9 yards per carry. Suddenly the new-found rushing game has created opportunities for Matt Cassel who has averaged more yards per pass in the last three games than any of the previous six he has started. The added time on the field offensively has allowed the defense to play better. The Chiefs have a 14-6 ATS log in their last 20 on the road, and the Chargers will be going through the motions as a big home chalk, cashing just one of their last seven at 10.5+. The Chargers have to be believing their own press by now and a letdown here is not out of the question. Norv Turner has a history of such letdowns as his teams are 12-27 ATS when facing teams at .400 or worse. The Chiefs have gone 9-1 ATS in their last ten games as a double-digit dog. They are also 8-1 ATS the past three seasons revenging a loss in which they scored 14 or fewer points. I like KC with the two touchdowns.