Thursday Night Football odds, spread, line: Chargers vs. Chiefs prediction, NFL picks from expert who’s 17-5

The NFL season rolls along with a headline-grabbing Week 2 matchup on Thursday Night Football. AFC West rivals will square off when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Los Angeles Chargers. Both teams are 1-0 to begin the season and led by elite quarterbacks. Patrick Mahomes guided Kansas City to a road win over the Arizona Cardinals in the opener, with Chargers star Justin Herbert keying a Week 1 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Kickoff is at 8:15 p.m. ET in Kansas City. Caesars Sportsbook lists Kansas City as a four-point home favorite, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 54.5 in the latest Chargers vs. Chiefs odds. Before making any Chiefs vs. Chargers picks or NFL predictions for Thursday Night Football, see what SportsLine expert R.J. White has to say.

White, a Fantasy and gambling editor for CBS Sports, consistently crushes as SportsLine’s No. 1 NFL expert in picks against the spread, and went 445-378-24 on his ATS picks from 2017-21, which returned $2,542 to $100 players. He’s also gone a whopping 17-5-1 on his NFL picks involving the Chargers, meaning he’s well-qualified for this selection.

He’s well-known for cashing out big in the Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest twice since 2015. White also cashed big on his NFL futures in 2021, including nailing Jonathan Taylor as the NFL rushing leader at 10-1. Anyone who has followed him is way up.

Now, White has locked in on Chargers vs. Chiefs from every angle and released a confident against-the-spread pick. You can visit SportsLine now to see his TNF picks. Here are several NFL odds and betting lines for Chiefs vs. Chargers:

• Chargers vs. Chiefs spread: Chiefs -4
• Chargers vs. Chiefs over/under: 54.5 points
• Chargers vs. Chiefs money line: Chiefs -210, Chargers +175
• LAC: Chargers are 9-9 against the spread in the last 18 games
• KC: Chiefs are 11-10 against the spread in the last 21 games
• Chargers vs. Chiefs picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why the Chargers can cover

The Chargers have a high-powered offense to lean on with Herbert at the helm. Los Angeles ranked No. 4 in the NFL in total offense and No. 5 in the NFL in scoring offense last season. The Chargers were also in the top three in passing offense in 2021, with Herbert’s profile standing out in considerable fashion. Herbert opened the season by completing 26 of 34 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns in Week 1, and he threw for more than 5,000 passing yards and 38 touchdown passes in 2021. 

Herbert is also a dual-threat with more than 500 rushing yards in 33 career starts and has the fourth-most touchdown passes and second-most passing yards through the first 33 starts in NFL history. Herbert has also experienced success on the road in Kansas City, posting a 2-0 record at Arrowhead Stadium with 583 passing yards, seven touchdown passes and no interceptions in those outings.

Why the Chiefs can cover

Kansas City has one of the most prolific passing combinations in the NFL, setting the tone for an elite offense. Mahomes is one of the best players in the league and began the 2022 season with 360 yards and five touchdown passes on 39 attempts. He is tied for No. 4 in NFL history with six games featuring at least five touchdown passes and Mahomes threw for more yards and touchdowns than any other player in Week 1. He was the impetus in Kansas City’s 44-point explosion last week, and the Chiefs produced 488 total yards, 33 first downs, and zero sacks allowed. Mahomes has 156 touchdown passes in 64 career starts, and he is 21-3 against the AFC West in his career. 

The Chiefs finished in the top four of the NFL in total offense and scoring offense last season, and Kansas City also has a top-tier pass-catcher in Travis Kelce. The seven-time Pro Bowl tight end caught eight passes for 121 yards and a touchdown in the opener, and it was his 30th career game with at least 100 yards. Kelce enters 2022 with a six-year streak of at least 1,000 receiving yards, and he has 60 career touchdowns and more than 9,100 career receiving yards.

How to make Chiefs vs. Chargers picks

For Thursday Night Football, White is leaning Under on the point total, but he also says a critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back. He’s only sharing what it is and which side of the Chargers vs. Chiefs spread to back at SportsLine.

So who wins Chiefs vs. Chargers on Thursday Night Football? And what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Chargers vs. Chiefs spread you should jump on, all from the NFL expert who’s an amazing 17-5 on picks involving Los Angeles, and find out.