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    Chargers vs. Colts picks: Who covers the spread, plus my favorite prop picks for Monday Night Football

    NFL insider Jason La Canfora breaks down the final game of Week 16 as the Chargers head to Indianapolis.

    Are you willing to trust the Chargers? And trust them in the most critical time of the season, no less? With their playoff lives on the line?

    So many of us have been down this road before and then been done in by this team Chargering its way right out of a potentially meaningful season. I have a hard time getting fully behind this Brandon Staley operation and I feel like this team has major let-down potential.

    But then I look at the guy on the opposite sideline, who is two weeks away from going home to Atlanta and doing NFL studio analyst work again. And man, if you are looking for a football operation to fade, this is it. All the Colts do is manage to find new ways to hit lows each week that no other NFL has even considered.

    So, while this is by no means my favorite game of the season, and it gives me pause that Jeff Saturday is somehow 3-2 ATS despite allowing 33 points in the fourth quarter in Week 14 and then blowing a 33-point lead last week. And after all of the bush league BS this Colts locker room and coaching staff has been through this season, I can't help but thinking they've had enough. This is a game that might be over before it starts.

    Chargers at Colts

    Spread: Chargers -4

    The Colts don't have an NFL head coach or QB. The Chargers have a generational QB who is in good form against a defense that has totally collapsed in epic fashion. I'd prefer this, of course, under 3, but we are way beyond that now. Still, the Colts have allowed 117 points in the past thee games alone, and if this is a close game I like Herbert to pull away, with Indy outscored 77-34 in the fourth quarter the last four weeks. Meantime the Chargers are actually starting to play winning football on the defensive side for the first time in a long time and I could very well see the holding this broken Colts offense under 17 points.

    Colts Team Total: Under 20.5 (-110)

    Nick Foles has been banished to a not even real backup role through 15 weeks of an 18-week season and has looked like a beaten and done QB for years now, but somehow he is going to really this sad-sack operation now? With all hope long ago lost? This is Saturday's latest big idea? Okay, whatever. Foles is just as immobile as Matt Ryan; he'll get thrown around behind a porous offensive line, and he's good for at least one pick. No Jonathan Taylor and no real offensive identity against a team with its season on the line strikes me as a recipe for field goals and not touchdowns.

    Same Game Parlay (+580)

    • Chargers -4
    • Justin Herbert Over 280.5 passing yards
    • Mike Williams Anytime TD

    Player Props

    Justin Herbert Over 280.5 passing yards (-117)

    Did you see what Kirk Cousins did to this outfit last week and Dak Prescott the week before that? Let's keep our fingers crossed that offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi did, and that he will let this kid grip it and rip it.

    Nick Foles Under 231.5 passing yards (-129)

    Saturday's clock management is brutal, and he has taken all kinds of heat for how he's managed this offense. Now they go to their third starting QB of the season. Even without Taylor, I anticipate a run-heavy game plan.

    Nick Foles Over 0.5 interceptions (-135)

    It's not the greatest return ever, but given what is populated on the board thus far I certainly don't dislike it. Foles says he's barely even practiced with these guys.

    Cameron Dicker Over 1.5 field goals (-119)

    Dicker The Kicker has been pretty clutch. This Chargers offense bogs down in the red zone more than it seems it should. Perfect night for kicking in the dome. I believe Staley will lean into that.

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    Jason La Canfora
    Jason La CanforaJLC

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