Chargers at Atlanta Falcons: Who has the edge?
CHARGERS (7-4) vs. FALCONS (6-5)
When: 10 a.m. Sunday
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
TV/Radio: KCBS (Ch. 2); 98.7 FM; 105.5 FM/94.3 FM (Spanish)
Line: Chargers by 1.5
Notable injury designations
Chargers: OUT: RB J.K. Dobbins (knee), S Alohi Gilman (hamstring), CB Cam Hart (ankle) and LB Denzel Perryman (groin). QUESTIONABLE: LB Daiyan Henley (calf).
Falcons: OUT: CB Mike Hughes (neck), RB Jase McClellan (knee). QUESTIONABLE: K Younghoe Koo (hip).
Who’s better: If Dobbins were sound enough to play, and he’s not, then the Chargers might be favored by more points by the oddsmakers. Before spraining his knee during the Chargers’ loss on Monday night to the Baltimore Ravens, he was a major part of their rejuvenated ground game this season. Dobbins averaged 4.8 yards per carry before he was hurt. Gus Edwards and rookie Kimani Vidal are expected to replace Dobbins on Sunday and, likely, for the foreseeable future. Still, the Chargers would seem to have enough weapons to subdue the Falcons.
Matchup to watch: The Chargers also are hurting on defense with Perryman sidelined and Henley questionable to play because of injuries. They have been the heart and soul of the middle of the Chargers’ top-ranked defense, giving up an NFL-low 15.9 points per game. Troy Dye and Nick Niemann are expected to start in place of Perryman and Henley against the Falcons. Keep an eye out on how they fare against Atlanta quarterback Kirk Cousins and the Falcons’ offense. The Falcons are the league’s fifth-best passing team, averaging 243.6 yards per game.
Chargers win if: The game within the game is extremely important at this point in the season for the Chargers, and they have to play the bounce-back game well starting Sunday. Chargers are about to play meaningful games at the end of a season for the first time since they rallied for an AFC wild-card berth in 2022. Two years ago, they seized the day by winning three of their final four games. They don’t need to go on such a run to qualify for the playoffs this season, but it wouldn’t hurt to recover from last Monday’s loss to the Ravens with a hard-hearted victory over the Falcons.
Fantasy sleeper: Edwards is going to carry the ball in the absence of Dobbins, the Chargers’ leading rusher with 766 yards and eight touchdowns. Edwards is the Chargers’ third-leading rusher with 206 yards and one touchdown, trailing Dobbins and Herbert, who has 211 yards and two touchdowns. Edwards was on injured reserve for four games because of an ankle injury, but he seemed to be rounding into form with nine carries for 11 yards and one touchdown against a suffocating Ravens defense. OK, so the numbers weren’t great. But without Dobbins, the Chargers must give the ball to Edwards if they are to continue to pursue a productive ground game.
Prediction: Looking at it from afar, this game seemed like a trap game for the Chargers, dropped between Harbaugh Bowl III on Monday night and a primetime rematch with the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 8. The Chargers talked a great deal this past week about regrouping after their 30-23 loss to the Ravens and the end of their four-game winning streak, and about the challenges the Falcons presented. So, it would seem unlikely they would fall into a trap of any kind. The Chargers had their minds right for this one. Chargers 21, Falcons 17.