https://www.ocregister.com/2022/12/17/chargers-vs-tennessee-titans-who-has-the-edge-2/

Chargers vs. Tennessee Titans: Who has the edge?

Chargers, with four crucial games left, are faced with limiting Titans
running back Derrick Henry at SoFi Stadium

By Elliott Teaford | eteaford@scng.com | Orange County Register
PUBLISHED: December 17, 2022 at 9:36 a.m. | UPDATED: December 18, 2022
at 3:24 a.m.

CHARGERS (7-6) vs. TITANS (7-6)

When: Sunday, 1:25 p.m.

Where: SoFi Stadium

TV/Radio: Ch.­ 2/98.7 FM; 105.5 FM/94.3 FM (Spanish)

Line: Chargers by 3 points

Notable injury designations: Chargers: CB Bryce Callahan (questionable,
groin), S Derwin James Jr. (doubtful, quadriceps), DL Sebastian
Joseph-Day (questionable, back/knee), RT Trey Pipkins III (questionable,
knee).

Titans: OLB Denico Autry (out, knee), CB Tre Avery (out, concussion), WR
C.J. Board (out, rib), WR Treylon Burks (out, concussion), CB Kristian
Fulton (out, groin), RB Dontrell Hilliard (out, neck), S Amani Hooker
(out, knee).

What’s at stake: The Chargers have four games remaining, four games to
determine the success or failure of their season. The Titans have lost
three in a row, including last week to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The
Chargers won their first game over a team with a winning record when
they defeated the Miami Dolphins last Sunday. The Titans are the
Chargers’ final opponent of the season with a winning record. They close
the season with games against the Indianapolis Colts (4-8-1), the Rams
(4-9) and the Denver Broncos (3-10).

Who’s better: The oddsmakers favor the Chargers despite their poor
record against teams above .500, despite their injury-depleted offensive
and defensive lines, and despite their difficulty stopping standout
running backs. Tennessee’s Derrick Henry is second in the NFL behind the
Raiders’ Josh Jacobs with 1,199 yards rushing. Jacobs leads the league
with 1,402 yards, including 144 yards in the Raiders’ victory over the
Chargers on Dec. 4 in Las Vegas. Henry averages 4.4 yards per attempt.
The Chargers give up 5.4 yards per attempt, tied with the New York
Giants for the league’s highest average. The Titans average only 18.5
points per game.

Matchup to watch: Henry vs. everybody. He had 121 yards rushing and 34
yards receiving in last Sunday’s loss to the Jaguars, his 17th career
game with 150 yards or more from scrimmage. No one has had more in the
league since 2011. The Chargers will be challenged to slow down the
6-foot-3, 247-pounder, something they’ve struggled to do against top
running backs. The Chargers did limit the Dolphins to 92 yards rushing
in last Sunday’s victory, but Miami doesn’t rely as heavily on the run
as Tennessee. Joseph-Day could be back in the lineup after sitting out
last week because of a knee injury.

Chargers win if: The Chargers have to be better against the run than
they have been in their first 13 games of the season. It won’t be easy
given Henry’s ability to run for big gains. In fact, it figures to be a
tall order. Henry has been especially effective in road games this
season, rushing for at least one touchdown in six of seven games away
from Nashville. He also has gained 115 yards or more from scrimmage in
five of his past six games on the road. Overall, he is third in the NFL
with 1,519 yards from scrimmage. He has topped 1,500 yards from
scrimmage in three consecutive games, tops among all active players.

Fantasy sleeper: Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer can’t exactly be
called a sleeper, not after he filled in so capably while Keenan Allen
and Mike Williams were sidelined by injuries, sometimes together and
sometimes separately. Palmer is likely to remain a target for
quarterback Justin Herbert even with Allen and Williams together again.
Palmer has 50 yards receiving or more in four consecutive games.

Prediction: Herbert has passed for 300 yards or more in consecutive
games and 21 games in his career. He needs 294 yards to reach 4,000
yards and become the first quarterback in league history to top the
milestone in each of his first three seasons. The Titans don’t score
many points, but they don’t give up many, either. The Chargers’ passing
offensive presents Tennessee with a big challenge. Chargers 24, Titans 21.