Monday Night Football 2022: Time, Channel and How to Watch Chargers vs Colts

Week 16 of the 2022 NFL season ends with two teams heading in different directions. The Los Angeles Chargers will take on the Indianapolis Colts tonight (Dec. 26) on Monday Night Football. The game will start at 8:15 p.m. ET and air on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. It will also stream on Watch ESPN, the ESPN App and NFL+ for mobile users. 

The Chargers (8-6) seem to be playing their best football at the right time as they have won their last two games. They need to continue to play good football since they have the No. 6 spot in the AFC playoff standings and are only half a game ahead of the Miami Dolphins. Running back Austin Ekeler has been one of the NFL’s best offensive players, rushing for 692 yards and nine touchdowns while recording 635 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Quarterback Justin Herbert is having a strong year as well, throwing for 4,019 yards and 21 touchdowns. 

Chargers head coach Brandon Staley knows they can’t the Colts lightly despite their losing record. “You know what this team is capable of doing because they’ve done it,” Staley said, per the Chargers official website. “They have a lot of quality leadership on their football team. When you take a look at who is out there for them in all three phases, they have a lot of outstanding leaders on that football team — guys who are proven NFL players, not just as premium NFL players, but leaders within a football team.”

The Colts (4-9-1) are eliminated from playoff contention and are coming off one of the team’s worst losses of all time. On Dec. 17, the Colts fell to the Minnesota Vikings 39-36 in overtime after leading 33-0 at halftime. Colts QB Matt Ryan has been benched for the second time this season after throwing for just 182 yards in the loss. It’s been a disappointing season for him considering he won the NFL MVP award and led the Atlanta Falcons to a Super Bowl appearance in 2016. Ryan joined the Colts this past offseason after spending 14 seasons with the Falcons. 

“It has been harder, I think, than any of us would’ve anticipated,” Ryan said of the Colts’ offensive struggles, per ESPN. “I felt confident coming into the year … But I’ve also learned you just never know how things are going to shake out.”