Monday Night Football tonight will feature two teams in very different places. Who is playing, what time does the game start, how can you watch it, and what are the current odds?
Teams
Los Angeles Chargers (8-6) vs. Indianapolis Colts (4-9-1)
Location
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
Monday Night Football tonight features two AFC teams that are in completely opposite places. The Los Angeles Chargers travel to Lucas Oil Stadium to take on the Indianapolis Colts for the last game of Week 16.
Everything has fallen into place for Los Angeles, and if they manage to win this game as 4.5-point road favorites, they lock in a playoff spot. Meanwhile, Indianapolis can only play spoiler as they have already been eliminated from playoff contention thanks to their 4-9-1 record.
It has been a tough year for the Colts. They made quite the splash in the offseason by acquiring Matt Ryan to take over at quarterback with the hopes that they could find the same magic they did with an aging Philip Rivers. Unfortunately, that was not the case, and Ryan was benched not once but twice throughout the year.
Now, it will be journeyman Nick Foles who will take over as the starting QB for the remainder of the year. Behind one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL, Foles will also be without last year’s best running back, Jonathan Taylor, who went on IR this past week. Instead, he will need to rely on Zack Moss and Deon Jackson to help take advantage of the Chargers’ 31st-ranked rushing defense.
Los Angeles comes into this game off some impressive wins, and QB Justin Herbert is getting hot at the right time. He has had three straight games with more than 300 passing yards but will face a tough task against the Colts’ 10th-ranked passing defense that allows only an average of 206 passing yards per game.
PFN’s Betting Director BJ Rudell broke down this game in his Week 16 picks and predictions. His faith in the Colts upsetting the Chargers in this one is close to nonexistent.
“Zack Moss probably isn’t the answer for Indy. Perhaps Deon Jackson can recapture the magic from earlier this season, especially against a run defense yielding the second most yards per carry (5.4).
And that might be the Colts’ best chance: keep running the ball as long as the game is close.
I bring up Foles because, as many of you know, Matt Ryan has been benched. Before last week’s matchup against the Vikings, I shared that “this could be Ryan’s final NFL start,” as well as why “his starting job” was “on the line.” Because the Colts keep moving backward as most of the league moves forward. And that will once again be on display against the Chargers.”
Date: Dec. 26, 2022
Start time: 8:15 p.m. ET
With Monday Night Football tonight being on ESPN, the announcers you can expect to hear are Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Lisa Salters on the call.
TV Channel and Live Stream for Monday Night Football
TV channels: ESPN
Live stream: DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV
Want to stream NFL games at home or on the go this season? Check out fuboTV, a streaming platform that provides you with live sports across multiple devices. Additionally, make sure to check out our comprehensive guide on how to live stream NFL games.