His teammates on the San Diego Chargers nicknamed him ”Big Rembrandt” because he was always scribbling on pieces of paper.

He ended up painting vivid and highly acclaimed images from the playing field and from African-American life. He’s most famous for ”Sugar Shack,” which shows African-Americans dancing at the Durham Armory. Marvin Gaye used a version of it for an album cover, and a print of it appeared in the closing credits of the sitcom ”Good Times.”

Now, an exhibit has opened in his home state titled “The North Carolina Roots of Artist Ernie Barnes.” The exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of History includes 38 paintings by Barnes, many unseen by the public until now, along with several pieces of memorabilia.

It’s the first exhibit of Barnes’ artwork in 11 years, and the first since he died at age 70 in 2009 in Los Angeles. It continues through March 3.

Barnes never considered football his true calling. From his childhood, he was drawn to art. In his 1995 autobiography, ”From Pads to Palette,” he wrote, ”Throughout my five seasons in the arena of professional football, I remained at the deepest level of my being an artist.”

But he played professionally from 1960 to 1964, signing first with the Baltimore Colts and then with the Titans of New York, the San Diego Chargers and the Denver Broncos. His sports connections led to his first exhibit through the support of New York Jets owner Sonny Werblin. And Barnes credited football with helping him develop the elongation technique for which he’s known.

An art instructor told him ”to pay attention to what my body felt like in movement,” Barnes once said. ”And when I did that, it was an elongated feeling. … I hate to think, had I not played sports, what my work would look like.”

He also spoke of how the ”dehumanization” of professional football played out in his art. ”I painted until I exhausted the hate,” he said, according to comments provided by his estate.

Troy Vincent, the NFL’s vice president of operations, is probably the largest collector of Barnes’ art and someone in whom Barnes confided about his love-hate relationship with football. Vincent estimates that he owns just shy of 30 Barnes’ paintings, most of them commissioned and never seen by the public.

In a phone interview, Vincent said that he and his wife ”didn’t classify it as black art. He happens to be African-American, but it’s not black art. It’s art.”

At the time of Barnes’ death, Paul Von Blum, an art history and African American studies professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, called him one of the premier figurative artists of his era.

Barnes, who was born in 1938 in Durham during the Jim Crow era, graduated from what’s now North Carolina Central University. His painting, ”Homecoming,” shows a marching band in Durham with U.S. 15-501 signs in the background.

”Ernie said when he was growing up, the high school band used to come down from the segregated area and make the turn into the black community, and the band would kick it up right there,” Luz Rodriguez, his longtime assistant and estate trustee said last week in Raleigh before the exhibit opened. ”So that’s what he painted.”

”Sugar Shack” came from Barnes’ memories growing up in Durham, Rodriguez said. His mother had told the 13-year-old Barnes that ”they don’t do Christian things there” so of course he had to sneak in to find out what was happening, she said.

Actor and comedian Eddie Murphy owns the painting now, exhibit curator Katie Edwards said. A second version that Barnes painted is part of the North Carolina museum exhibit.

Barnes could bring to life ”the hopes and dreams of what could be – families together, strong men, strong women, the true representation of the godly family,” Vincent said. Barnes was able to ”share our dark past yet articulate in color what the future could be – the proudness of our history, the proudness of our future. Ernie encapsulated all of that.”

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Oakland Raiders vs. San Diego Chargers
When: 4:25 PM ET, Sunday, December 18, 2016
Where: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS.
LINE: Raiders -3.
O/U: 49.5
PREDICTION: Raiders 27, Chargers 26

Oddsmakers currently have the Raiders listed as 3-point favorites versus the Chargers, while the game’s total is sitting at 49½.

The Oakland Raiders are on the verge of ending a 14-year playoff drought.

A victory over San Diego will do the trick and the Raiders are focused on securing the long-craved postseason spot when they visit the Chargers on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS).

Oakland (10-3) is tied for first place in the AFC West and has a two-game lead in the wild-card chase with three games to play.

The possible realization of the goal prompted quarterback Derek Carr to reminisce on his rookie campaign of 2014 — when saying things were bleak seems a bit kind.

“Starting 0-10 was not fun. It makes these moments so awesome,” Carr told reporters. “It makes these moments really cool to already have 10 wins and those things. I know for our team, our sole focus is beating the Chargers because if we don’t, we’re still sitting there hoping and wishing. Our focus is just going down to San Diego and trying to come out with a win.”

The Chargers (5-8) won’t be part of the playoffs and also face an unclear future. San Diego voters shot down a stadium proposal last month and the team moved closer to a relocation to Los Angeles on Wednesday when NFL owners unanimously approved a tenant-lease contract between the Chargers and Los Angeles Rams.

The Chargers have until Jan. 15 to exercise an option to move to Los Angeles. Team president Dean Spanos has repeatedly stated he won’t announce a decision until following the season.

Sunday’s contest could be the next-to-last home game in San Diego and it will likely be one in which standout running back Melvin Gordon misses due to hip and knee injuries.

Coach Mike McCoy termed it “highly unlikely” that Gordon will play against Oakland.

Gordon has rushed for 997 yards and is craving the 1,000-yard mark after experiencing a disappointing rookie season in 2015.

“It would mean a lot but I’m just going to take it for what it is,” Gordon told reporters. “If I feel I can go back out there and be ready, I’m going to go back out there. … I know my body. If I can go out there and feel I can be productive, then I’ll be out there. If I can’t, we’ve got the guys who will make it up for me.”

The Chargers’ most promising young defensive player is also ailing. Rookie defensive end Joey Bosa sprained his neck in last Sunday’s 28-16 loss to the Carolina Panthers but there is hope that he will play.

Meanwhile, Carr has enjoyed an MVP-caliber season with 3,492 yards and 24 touchdowns against just five interceptions.

But he also is coming off an atrocious performance in a 21-13 loss to the Chiefs on Dec. 8. The combination of frigid conditions and an injured right pinkie finger didn’t help as Carr was 17-of-41 passing for 117 yards.

The showing was easily Carr’s worst of the season but he made it clear his finger had nothing to do with the sub-par effort.

“It was just execution — literally inches,” Carr said. “There’s a whole bunch of plays that I think about that we always hit and for whatever reason, we just missed by an inch. Sometimes that happens in practice and you never want it to happen in a game. This time it did.”

Carr’s favorite target is second-year receiver Amari Cooper, who went over the 1,000-yard mark for the second straight campaign. Cooper, who has 73 receptions, ranks sixth in the NFL with 1,010 receiving yards.

Oakland leads the NFL with a plus-15 turnover margin and is receiving remarkable play from standout defensive end Khalil Mack.

Mack is tied for third in the NFL with 11 sacks and has recorded at least one in eight consecutive games, two off the record shared by DeMarcus Ware (Dallas, 2007-08) and Simon Fletcher (Denver, 1992-93). Mack is shooting to become the first player with a sack in nine consecutive games in a single season.

Mack also has forced five fumbles and his presence can’t rate as a comfortable feeling for Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers.

Though he has passed for 3,589 yards and 27 touchdowns, Rivers also has been intercepted a league-worst 17 times. He was personally responsible for five turnovers in the loss to the Panthers — three on interceptions and two strip-sack fumbles — as the Chargers’ turnover count grew to an NFL-worst 30.

“I know better than that but at the same time I don’t want to stand back there and throw balls away and get beat 35-3,” Rivers said. “It just felt like that was the way it was going, and again, that is no excuse to make some bad mistakes and turnovers.”

Oakland has prevailed in the past three meetings, including a 34-31 home win on Oct. 9. Carr passed for 317 yards and two touchdowns with one interception, while Rivers passed for 359 yards and four touchdowns and was intercepted twice.

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Arizona Cardinals vs. Miami Dolphins
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 11, 2016
Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Panthers -1.5. O/U: 49
PREDICTION: Panthers 27, Chargers 24

Oddsmakers currently have the Panthers listed as 1-point favorites versus the Chargers, while the game’s total is sitting at 49.

ABOUT THE CHARGERS (5-7): Casey Hayward has been a thorn in the side of opposing quarterbacks this season as he leads the NFL with seven interceptions – including four in his last five games. The fifth-year cornerback out of Vanderbilt made a total of three picks in 35 contests with Green Bay over the previous three campaigns. Defensive end Joe Bosa is tied for third among NFL rookies with 5.5 sacks despite missing four games with a hamstring injury.

San Diego lost its last outing, a 28-21 result against the Buccaneers on December 04. The Chargers failed to cover in that game as a -3-point favorite, while the 49 combined points took the game PUSH the total.

San Diego Stats:
Team record: 5-7 SU,7-5 ATS
San Diego is 11-5 ATS in its last 16 games
San Diego is 7-17 SU in its last 24 games
The total has gone OVER in 9 of San Diego’s last 13 games

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (4-8): Newton has excelled at home of late, throwing 19 touchdown passes and running for five more scores while being intercepted just six times in his last nine contests. Jonathan Stewart has rushed for seven touchdowns in his last seven games while Ted Ginn Jr. has hauled in a scoring pass in three consecutive contests. Linebacker Luke Kuechly has missed two games while in concussion protocol but has participated in practice this week and could play against San Diego.
Carolina was a 40-7 loser in its last match on the road against the Seahawks. They failed to cover the +9-point spread as underdogs, while the total score of 47 sent OVER bettors to the payout window.

Carolina Stats:
Team record: 4-8 SU,3-7-2 ATS
Carolina is 1-2-2 ATS in its last 5 games
Carolina is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games
Carolina is 8-3-1 ATS in its last 12 games at home

EXTRA POINTS
1. Chargers RB Melvin Gordon is eight rushing yards shy from 1,000 on the season while WR Tyrell Williams needs 163 receiving to reach the plateau.
2. San Diego leads the NFL with 25 turnovers.
3. Carolina is 0-3 against the AFC West this season.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. San Diego Chargers
When: 4:25 PM ET, Sunday, December 4, 2016
Where: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Chargers -3.5. O/U: 47.5
PREDICTION: Chargers 33, Buccaneers 27

Oddsmakers currently have the Chargers listed as 3½-point favorites versus the Buccaneers, while the game’s total is sitting at 49½.

Despite its turnover total, San Diego will provide a challenge to Tampa Bay’s defense as it possesses the fifth-best passing offense (271.5 yards) and fourth-ranked scoring offense (313 points) in the league. Philip Rivers is fourth in the NFL with 3,128 passing yards and tied for fifth with 23 touchdown passes but also is one interception off the league lead of 13. The veteran has eclipsed the 3,000-yard plateau for the 11th consecutive season, which has him tied for the fourth-longest such streak in NFL history.

In their last action, San Diego was a 21-13 winner on the road against the Texans. They covered the -2.5-point spread as favorites, while the combined score (34) was profitable news for UNDER bettors.

San Diego:
Team record: 5-6 SU,7-4 ATS
San Diego is 11-4 ATS in its last 15 games
San Diego is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
San Diego is 7-16 SU in its last 23 games

Tampa Bay’s defense likely is salivating at the prospect of facing San Diego, as it has recorded 18 takeaways in its last seven games while the Chargers enter Week 13 leading the league with 23 turnovers. The team ranks 24th in total defense (369.3 yards per game) but is tied for 13th in scoring defense (264 points) as it has clamped down during its winning streak, allowing a total of 32 points in the three games after yielding 73 over the previous two contests. Jameis Winston has been on fire of late, throwing for 1,573 yards and 13 touchdowns in his last six games with only three interceptions, while Mike Evans is tied for the league lead with 10 TD receptions and has hauled in five scoring passes in his last five road contests.

In their last action, Tampa Bay was a 14-5 winner at home against the Seahawks. They covered the +5-point spread as underdogs, while the combined score (19) was profitable news for UNDER bettors.

Tampa Bay:
Team record: 6-5 SU,6-5 ATS
Current Streak: won 3 straight games.
Tampa Bay is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
Tampa Bay is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tampa Bay’s last 6 games

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San Diego Chargers vs. Houston Texans
When: 11/27/2016 1:00 PM
Where: NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS.
LINE: Chargers -1.5. O/U: 46.5
PREDICTION: Texans 23, Chargers 21

Oddsmakers currently have the Chargers listed as 3-point favorites versus the Texans, while the game’s total is sitting at 46½.

HOUSTON — What the Houston Texans have dealt with since Monday night has been a lingering feeling throughout this disappointing season for the San Diego Chargers.

On the cusp of a surprising victory over the AFC West-leading Oakland Raiders, the Texans (6-4) coughed up a seven-point lead with a fourth-quarter collapse and fell 27-20 in Mexico City. Instead of establishing a two-game lead over the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South with a head-to-head victory in hand, the Texans dropped to 4-3 in the AFC and set the stage for a dogfight for the division title down the stretch.

“It’s a must that we focus strictly on San Diego,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said. “If you start looking ahead to whatever is the next game or the game after that, you know, they’re all important. When you only have, whatever it is, six games, five games left, every single one is important.

“The division obviously is very, very important, but AFC games are important. Any game is important. I think these guys came into the building today with great focus, energy and they’re very focused on the Chargers.”

Defensively, the Texans remain an upper echelon team, ranking 12th in scoring defense and fifth in total defense. But the manner in which they surrendered the lead to Oakland continued a recent trend that warrants attention and a reversal.

After matching a Texans field goal with a 75-yard touchdown pass from Derek Carr to Jamize Olawale, the Raiders covered 85 yards in five plays in posting the winning score, a Carr to Amari Cooper 35-yard pass. That touchdown followed a fourth-down stand by the Raiders’ defense. When the Texans failed to match, it marked their fourth consecutive game without a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Since their spirited fourth-quarter rally to beat the Colts on Oct. 16, the Texans have been outscored 41-9 in the foruth quarter of their last four games. Given the ongoing struggles of the offense, it’s unjust to saddle the Texans’ defense with the blame for their late-game struggles, but what is true is that Houston has wavered when those tense moments arrive and a tenuous lead in on the line.

Houston Stats:
Team record: 6-4 SU,5-4-1 ATS
Houston is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston’s last 7 games
Houston is 4-0-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home

“We got beat. That’s all I can say,” Texans defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel said. “You saw the game. They made plays. We didn’t make the plays, so we lost the game. The only thing that we can do now is we cannot cry over spilled milk. What we have to do is we have to move forward and try to play a better game versus the Chargers.”

The Chargers (4-6) have managed the frustration of having a losing record despite a positive point differential. All six of their losses have come by one score, with a spate of injuries and their own issues protecting leads undermining success.

Three games behind the Broncos and Chiefs in the AFC West, the Chargers aren’t in a position to dwell too long on what ails Houston. Injuries have undercut the Texans, too, but they’ve held the line defensively in spite of the losses.

San Diego Stats:
Team record: 4-6 SU,6-4 ATS
San Diego is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games
San Diego is 6-16 SU in its last 22 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of San Diego’s last 7 games

“I think that’s what the good coaches do in this business,” Chargers coach Mike McCoy said of Houston surviving the loss of All-Pro defensive end J.J. Watt. “You take advantage of your personnel. There’s little adjustments you make from week to week. The foundation has been laid a long time ago in his system and then you go into the game planning process of doing certain things. You educate your players and players go out and play. It’s not shocking at all the way they are playing without those players either.”

That Houston has established quality depth in its secondary has helped offset the injuries up front. Watt is irreplaceable, but the Texans have rotated capable defensive backs liberally and to success, doing so with veteran cornerbacks Johnathan Joseph and Kareem Jackson serving as anchors in the secondary.

“Yeah, it’s a good group,” Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers said. “Obviously, those two corners are veteran corners that have been together for a long time now, and really just a solid secondary all the way around.

“There’s a lot of guys in the game, a lot of DBs play, especially third-down situations, there’s a lot of DBs on the field and they make it tough on you. There’s not a lot of easy completions out there.”

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San Diego Chargers vs. Atlanta Falcons
When: 4:05 PM ET, Sunday, October 23, 2016
Where: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Falcons -6.5. O/U: 53.5
PREDICTION: Falcons 34, Chargers 27

The San Diego Chargers and the Atlanta Falcons will both be trying to pick up a win on Sunday when they battle at Georgia Dome.

Oddsmakers currently have the Falcons listed as 6-point favorites versus the Chargers, while the game’s total is sitting at 50½.

Atlanta boasts the league’s top offense, averaging 441.5 total yards and 33.2 points, but has failed to hit either mark in the last two games. Ryan and Julio Jones have developed into the league’s most prolific passing duo, but it was a drop by Jones that resulted in the game-turning interception against the Seahawks. The Falcons have been tough on the run, but the young secondary has faced rough patches and will have a difficult assignment versus Rivers and the Chargers. The Falcons were a 26-24 loser in their most recent outing on the road against the Seahawks. They covered the +6.5-point spread as underdogs, while the total score (50) made winners of OVER bettors.

Team record: 4-2 SU,5-1 ATS
Atlanta is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Atlanta is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Atlanta’s last 6 games

Despite numerous injuries, San Diego has the league’s No. 3 scoring offense largely on the strength of Rivers and the passing game. Turnovers are a concern, though, as the Chargers have 13 giveaways – including an NFL-high 10 lost fumbles – and have committed at least two turnovers in four straight games. The defense struggled early in the season but was stout against Denver and has yet to allow 100 yards rushing in a contest. The Chargers were a 21-13 winner in their most recent outing at home against the Broncos. They covered the +3-point spread as underdogs, while the total score (34) made winners of UNDER bettors.

Team record: 2-4 SU,4-2 ATS
San Diego is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games
San Diego is 4-14 SU in its last 18 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Diego’s last 7 games

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San Diego at Cincinnati
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, September 20, 2015
Where: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS.
LINE: Bengals -3.5. O/U: 46.5
PREDICTION: Bengals 33, Chargers 24
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Oddsmakers currently have the Bengals listed as 3-point favorites versus the Chargers, while the game’s total is sitting at 45½.

Tyler Eifert enjoyed his best day as a pro last week, catching nine passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns. The 25-year-old tight end, who hadn’t played since the 2014 season opener due to an elbow injury, had two TD receptions in his first 16 career games. The touchdown passes by Andy Dalton raised his career total to 101 as he joined Ken Anderson (197), Boomer Esiason (187) and Carson Palmer (154) as the only Bengals to reach the century mark.

Cincinnati won its last outing, a 33-13 result against the Raiders on September 13. The Bengals covered in that game as a -3-point favorite, while the 46 combined points took the game OVER the total.

Team record: 1-0 SU,1-0 ATS
Cincinnati is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Cincinnati’s last 10 games
Cincinnati is 13-4-1 ATS in its last 18 games at home
Cincinnati is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home

Rivers also set a team record Sunday by completing his final 20 passes of the game. He made his 146th consecutive start, the second-longest active streak among quarterbacks. Linebacker Kyle Emanuel had a strong showing in his NFL debut last week as he registered a sack and made an interception versus Cincinnati.

In their last action, San Diego was a 33-28 winner at home against the Lions. They covered the -3.5-point spread as favorites, while the combined score (61) was profitable news for OVER bettors.

Team record: 1-0 SU,1-0 ATS
San Diego is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games
San Diego is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games
San Diego is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games on the road
San Diego is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road

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San Diego at Kansas City
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 28, 2014
Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS.
LINE: Chiefs -2.5. O/U: 42.
PREDICTION: Chargers 27, Chiefs 24
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Oddsmakers currently have the Chiefs listed as 3-point favorites versus the Chargers, while the game’s total is sitting at 42½.

Quarterback Alex Smith passed for a season-best 311 yards in last week’s 20-12 loss to Pittsburgh and has thrown for 3,265 yards overall, marking the first time he has topped 3,000 in back-to-back seasons. Standout rusher Jamaal Charles was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl and is 21 yards from reaching 1,000 rushing yards for the fifth time in his career but played poorly against the Steelers, rushing for 29 yards and losing a key fumble. Outside linebacker Justin Houston, picked to his third Pro Bowl, has an NFL-leading 18 sacks and is two from the club record set by Derrick Thomas (20 in 1990). “We are all pulling for him that he can finish up,” Reid told reporters of Houston’s bid to catch Thomas. “I know that’s not the most important thing for him – he wants to win the game – but at the same time, he sure has done a nice job with it.”

The Chiefs were a 20-12 loser in their most recent outing on the road against the Steelers. They failed to cover the +2.5-point spread as underdogs, while the total score (32) made winners of UNDER bettors.

Team record: 8-7 SU,9-6 ATS
Kansas City is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Kansas City is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Kansas City’s last 11 games
Kansas City is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home

Rivers has thrown 31 touchdown passes and needs three more to break the franchise career mark of Dan Fouts (254) and is five yards away from his sixth 4,000-yard season. Tight end Antonio Gates continues to climb up the all-time lists: He’s 53 yards from becoming the fourth tight end in history to reach 10,000 receiving yards and his next scoring reception will make the ninth player in NFL history with 100 career TD catches. Cornerback Brandon Flowers has a team-best three interceptions and is eager to clinch a playoff berth against K.C., which released him in the offseason after six seasons with the team. Safety Eric Weddle is headed to his third Pro Bowl and has 109 tackles, his third season with triple-digit stops.

San Diego won its last outing, a 38-35 result against the 49ers on December 20. The Chargers covered in that game as a +1.5-point underdog, while the 73 combined points took the game OVER the total.

San Diego:
Team record: 9-6 SU,7-8 ATS
San Diego is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games
San Diego is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
San Diego is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 games on the road
San Diego is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road

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San Diego at San Francisco
When: 8:25 PM ET, Saturday, December 20, 2014
Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California
TV: 8:25 p.m. ET, CBS, NFL Network.
LINE: 49ers -1. O/U: 41.5
PREDICTION: 49ers 20, Chargers 19
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Oddsmakers currently have the 49ers listed as 2½-point favorites versus the Chargers, while the game’s total is sitting at 41½.

San Francisco’s offense has gone belly-up over the past two months, managed a combined 23 points during the three-game skid while failing to score more than 17 in seven of its last eight games. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick is averaging 145.3 yards passing with one touchdown and four interceptions in the last three – two against his nemesis Seattle – and has completed less than 58 percent of his passes in five of the last six outings. The running game is also in disarray after Frank Gore (concussion) and rookie Carlos Hyde (knee) were hurt last week. The defense has acquitted itself well, permitting 16.6 points over the past five games.

San Francisco lost its last outing, a 17-7 result against the Seahawks on December 14. The 49ers failed to cover in that game as a +9-point underdog, while the 24 combined points took the game UNDER the total.

Team record: 7-7 SU,5-9 ATS
Current Streak: lost 3 straight games.
San Francisco is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
San Francisco is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Francisco’s last 5 games
San Francisco is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games at home

Running back Ryan Mathews (ankle) sat out last week’s game and also did not practice Wednesday, another blow to an offense that has scored only 24 points in back-to-back home losses to New England and Denver. “It’s just a two-game streak against the two top teams in the conference,” Rivers said. “It’s not like we’ve lost to the bottom of the barrel.” Rivers has 27 touchdowns passes against only 13 interceptions, but he has been picked off as many times (10) as he has scoring passes in the past eight games. Antonio Gates hauled in his 10th TD pass last week, joining Rob Gronkowski of the Patriots as the only tight ends to reach double digits four times.

The Chargers were a 22-10 loser in their most recent outing at home against the Broncos. They failed to cover the +4.5-point spread as underdogs, while the total score (32) made winners of UNDER bettors.

Team record: 8-6 SU,6-8 ATS
San Diego is 1-8 ATS in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Diego’s last 6 games
San Diego is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of San Diego’s last 9 games on the road

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New England at San Diego
When: 8:30 PM ET, Sunday, December 7, 2014
Where: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC.
LINE: Patriots -3.5. O/U: 51
PREDICTION: Patriots 30, Chargers 27
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Oddsmakers currently have the Patriots listed as 3-point favorites versus the Chargers, while the game’s total is sitting at 50½.

San Diego’s playoff hopes appeared to take a major hit following a 37-0 drubbing in Miami entering its bye week, but it has bounced back with three straight narrow victories to move within one game of the first-place Broncos in the AFC West. Rivers, who leads the AFC in completion percentage at 69.1, had three TD passes and threw for a season-high 383 yards in the improbable victory over the Ravens. Wideout Keenan Allen, who has struggled to maintain consistency following a superb rookie season, had a pair of touchdown catches among his career-high 11 receptions while going over 100 yards for the second straight week. Ryan Mathews has rushed for 215 yards and two TDs since returning from injury but the defense has permitted 57 points in the past two games.

Last time out for San Diego, they were a 34-33 winner as they battled the Ravens on the road. The Chargers covered in the match as a +6.5-point underdog, while 67 combined points moved the game OVER for totals bettors.

Team record: 8-4 SU,6-6 ATS
Current Streak: won 3 straight games.
San Diego is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
San Diego is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games
San Diego is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home
San Diego is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing New England

New England averaged 39.6 points during its winning streak but was forced to abandon the running game and play catch-up against the Packers, who held the ball for 36 1/2 minutes. While Brady has thrown 28 touchdowns passes versus only six interceptions, the Patriots are only 3-3 on the road and the two-time Super Bowl MVP has been limited to 257 yards or less in five of those games. Tight end Rob Gronkowski has 32 receptions and five touchdowns over the past five games and Brandon LaFell caught a pair of scoring passes last week, but New England must find a way to pressure Rivers. The Patriots were unable to generate any pass rush against Rodgers, who threw for 282 yards in the first half alone as Green Bay racked up 478 yards of total offense.

New England lost its last outing, a 26-21 result against the Packers on November 30. The Patriots failed to cover in that game as a +1.5-point underdog, while the 47 combined points took the game UNDER the total.

Team record: 9-3 SU,7-5 ATS
New England is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
New England is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of New England’s last 9 games
New England is 5-11-1 ATS in its last 17 games on the road

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