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The San Diego Chargers vs. Tennessee Titans Christmas Day game was already among the most bet on early in the week with odds favoring the now .500 Titans, who started the season with 6 straight losses. Odds opened with the Titans as -3 point favorites. The early backing however is heavily tilted in San Diego's favor where over 80 percent of the money was flowing. San Diego Chargers vs. Tennessee Titans odds opened at -3. (See Bookmaker.com for betting on the Chargers vs. Titans game here)
Despite Tennessee's slow start, they are one of the hottest teams during the second half of the season, going 6-1 in their last 7 games and losing only to Indianapolis. The San Diego Chargers, meanwhile, have now won 17 straight games in December and nine straight games overall.
By the time the San Diego Chargers could exhale, they had clinched their fourth straight AFC West title as well as pulling out a dramatic win over the grieving Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
Nate Kaeding kicked a 52-yard field goal with 3 seconds left and the Chargers rallied for a 27-24 win over the Bengals, who got a tying 34-yard field goal by Shayne Graham 51 seconds earlier.
Kaeding's winning kick came after Philip Rivers moved the Chargers 46 yards in 51 seconds with no timeouts and backup center Dennis Norman snapping after Scott Mruczkowski sprained an ankle.
"We just did what we had to do to get it done," said Rivers, who threw three touchdown passes, two to Vincent Jackson.
"Philip's the man. I wouldn't want anybody else under center there for us," said Kaeding, who added that it was one of his biggest kicks.
"There was a lot of adrenaline in that kind of situation, coming down to the wire and going for the win," Kaeding said. "Once it came off my foot, I knew it was good, and mayhem ensued from there."
San Diego clinched a playoff spot before halftime because of other results.
Tennessee kept alive faint playoff hopes for another week as Vince Young threw for a career-high three touchdowns, and Chris Johnson ran for 104 yards. The Titans (7-7) reached .500 for the first time this year, but made it far too interesting by blowing the big lead.
"Everybody got their money's worth today," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said. "It's nice to get a win. That's a good football team."
The formula for Tennessee making the Playoffs is a complicated one.
They will need either Denver or Baltimore to lose twice with another four teams losing at least once more in the final two weeks to make history by earning a far-fetched playoff spot after their woeful start.
On paper this scenario does not appear likely as Denver follows a road trip in Philadelphia with a home game against the lowly Kansas City Chiefs, who have nothing more to play for but their pride. Baltimore, meanwhile, will play in Pittsburgh this coming weekend then follow that game with a trip to Oakland.
"This is it. We don't win this game, we're out," coach Jeff Fisher said Monday. "This is a huge challenge for us on a short week."
It won't be easy for the Titans. Tennessee announced Monday they have lost two starting defenders to season-ending injuries with top tackler Keith Bulluck out with a torn left ACL and linebacker David Thornton having surgery to repair his shoulder and pectoral muscle.
Oakland has won three of their last five games, two of those were against AFC North teams including Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.
You can bet the San Diego Chargers vs. Tennessee Titans Christmas Day game at Bookmaker.com, offering 20 percent in free cash. This is the oldest established online sportsbook catering to North America.
Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com
