2002 · Week 1

Final

Chargers

San Diego

QB Drew Brees

34·6

Bengals

Cincinnati

QB Gus Frerotte

Paul Brown Stadium · outdoors · grass · 90°F · wind 7mph

Closing spread

CIN -3

Total

37

Model margin

-0.8est.

CIN perspective

Push chance

7.3%est.

the line sits on a key number

Win probability

  • Bengals
  • Chargers

How each play moved the game.

Bengals winsChargers wins

Matchup

Where the edges are

Season-long league percentiles for both sides, mirrored. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge.

The rivalry

SD lead 10–5 since 1999

CHARGERS have won 4 straight. Meetings average 47.9 points. CIN are 7-8 ATS in the series.

Previous meetings
SeasonMatchupScoreWinner
2024 · W11CIN @ LAC2734CHARGERS
2021 · W13LAC @ CIN4122CHARGERS
2020 · W1LAC @ CIN1613CHARGERS
2018 · W14CIN @ LAC2126CHARGERS
2015 · W2SD @ CIN1924CIN
2013 · playoffsSD @ CIN2710CHARGERS
2013 · W13CIN @ SD1710CIN
2012 · W13CIN @ SD2013CIN

Box score

Individual performances

Bengals

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Gus Frerotte18/3119801

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Gus Frerotte2147.00
Brandon Bennett2126.00
Corey Dillon9101.10

Where this game is likely to land

  • Model
  • Smooth (normal)
  • Betting line

Probability of each final margin. Football scoring clusters — the spikes at 3 and 7 are real, and a smooth model misses them.

line +32.8%4.5%3.0%7.4%7.3%2.9%4.3%2.6%

Positive margins favour Bengals; negative favour Chargers.

Half-point at risk

7.26%

outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5

Model home win

47.0%

Expected total

43.9est.

Model

Where the number comes from

Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.

  • Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)-0.96
  • Home-field advantage+2.56
  • Quarterback adjustment-2.35
  • Rest differential0.00
  • Expected margin-0.75

One or both ratings are carry-over priors — no games have been played this season yet, so treat this as a starting assumption rather than a read.