Broncos vs. Chargers Score Prediction for NFL Week 5 (Bet Los Angeles to Get on Track at Home)

An interesting AFC West battle takes place in the 4 p.m. EST slate on Sunday, as the winless Los Angeles Chargers host a Denver Broncos team that has struggled on offense through four weeks.

Bo Nix and the Broncos have impressive wins over Jacksonville and the Los Angeles Rams, but they’re 0-2 on the road and have one of the worst first-half offenses in the league. Denver has scored 13 total first-half points in 2026, which could allow Justin Herbert and the Chargers to hang around on Sunday.

Denver is favored in this matchup in L.A., as the Chargers are 0-4 and have yet to cover the spread in a single game. L.A. made a late push against Seattle in Week 4, but it wasn’t enough to win. Now, Jim Harbaugh’s team is a massive long shot to make the playoffs.

Can Los Angeles turn the season around in a key divisional matchup?

All season long, the SI Betting team is using the latest odds to predict the final score of each matchup. When it comes to betting, these predictions can help bettors decide on spread, moneyline and total bets. And, it’s always fun to see if you can get the score exactly correct whether you actually are willing to wager on that or not.

This AFC West matchup has major implications for both teams, especially since the Broncos are looking to avoid falling under .500 with the defending champion Seattle Seahawks up next in Week 6.

Here’s a look at my score prediction for Sunday’s clash.

Broncos vs. Chargers Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Broncos -3.5 (-110)
Chargers +3.5 (-110)

Moneyline

Broncos: -185
Chargers: +154

Total

42.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

The Broncos have been 3.5-point favorites since the odds for this game opened, but the total has dropped a point to 42.5 with both of these offenses ranking in the bottom half of the league in EPA/Play and success rate. The Chargers are looking to cover the spread for the first time all season, as they’re currently 0-3-1 against the number.

Broncos vs. Chargers Score Prediction

This week, SI Betting’s Iain MacMillan continued his Road to 272, where he picks every game, every week through the NFL season. In this game, he’s betting on Los Angeles to cover at home:

It's an ugly bet to make, but I'm going to back the Chargers to cover the spread in this game. The Broncos have some injury issues heading into this week. We don't yet know who will play and who won't, but Pat Surtain II is doubtful with an ankle injury, Riley Moss is questionable with a rib injury, and Pat Bryant is also doubtful with an ankle injury. That's two starting corners and an important piece on offense that could miss this road game, which will hurt them more than you think.

The Chargers are certainly deserving of criticism this season, but people need to wake up to Bo Nix. I'm convinced he's not a good quarterback. He's 23rd in adjusted EPA per play and 27th in completion percentage over expected. This team is now 26th in Net Yards per Play at -0.7, below the Chargers, who come in at 17th in that metric at -0.3.

With the Chargers getting 3.5 points on their home field, I'll back Los Angeles to cover the spread for the first time this season.

The Denver offense is a massive concern, as it has scored just 13 points in the first half through four weeks, ranking 20th in EPA/Play and 27th in success rate. Plus, the injuries to Denver’s secondary are a major concern with how much the team has leaned on the defense.

I don’t love this Chargers team, but an 0-5 start would be pretty shocking. After finding some success in the second half against Seattle in Week 4, I’ll take the points in a close AFC West battle.

Final Score Prediction: Broncos 20, Chargers 17

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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