Jacksonville Jaguars vs Los Angeles Chargers Betting Preview
Saturday night, the Chargers and the Jaguars face off for the first round of the NFL playoffs. Will the Jaguars blow out the Chargers again as they did in Week 3? Sportsmemo NFL handicapper Eric Pauly shares his thoughts and makes a free, expert Jacksonville Jaguars vs Los Angeles Chargers betting pick!
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Los Angeles Chargers AFC Wild Card Betting Odds
Saturday, January 14 | NFL Wild Card Betting Notes |
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Point Spread: | Jacksonville Jaguars +1 vs Los Angeles Chargers |
Total: | o/u 47.5 Points |
Location: | TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, FL |
Game Time: | 8:15pm ET / 5:15pm PT (Odds Above Courtesy of DraftKings) |
TV: | NBC |
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Los Angeles Chargers Betting Preview
One year after drafting first overall, the Jacksonville Jaguars are AFC South Champions, and they are in the postseason. The Chargers had a roller coaster of a season, but they have entered the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the NFL.
Both of these teams are young and hungry, and both quarterbacks have a ton to prove. Needless to say, this game should be a good one.
Streaky Chargers
This season was full of streaks for the Chargers, but over the last month, Los Angeles has been humming. They have won five of their last seven games and look to be one of the hottest teams in the NFL.
However, when you look at who they beat, they only beat one playoff team over that stretch. Justin Herbert is good enough to be an equalizer, but it is fair to wonder how good this Chargers team is.
Justin Herbert is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, but he has not been absolutely lights-out this season. On a per-drive basis, this offense was 14th in time, 5th in plays, 11th in yards, and 12th in points.
Herbert was 14th in net yards per attempt, and this offense is 30th in yards per attempt on the ground. To make matters worse, the Chargers are 20th in red zone percentage.
This offense has moments where it clicks, but there are times when it is stagnant. Life is tough when you cannot run the ball, and the Chargers are one of the worst at it in the NFL.
The Chargers defense has been banged up this season, but they are getting better and healthier each week. However, this unit still leaves a lot to be desired. The Chargers are 21st in points for and 20th in yards against.
On a per-drive basis, the Chargers are 6th in time, 2nd in plays, 16th in yards, and 18th in points. Los Angeles is 17th on third down but 11th in the red zone.
This unit is solid, and it has kept them in some games this season. However, their run defense is still atrocious, and it is what plagues them. Los Angeles is 32nd in yards per attempt against and 21st in touchdowns allowed on the ground.
Jumping For Joy In Jacksonville
After a horrible 3-7 start to the season, the Jaguars have turned their season upside down. Jacksonville has won six of its last seven games, with two of those wins coming against playoff teams. However, in order for the Jaguars to win, Trevor Lawrence needs to step up.
Lawrence has had a much better sophomore season, but there are still too many times he misses throws. With that being said, he is improving week in and week out and should certainly be a force for this team moving forward.
This is a top-10 offense, and Lawrence’s ascension is a big reason why. On a per-drive basis, this offense is 14th in time, 15th in plays, 9th in yards, and 11th in points. They are 9th on third down but 19th in the red zone. When this team can get the ground game going as well, they can fire on all cylinders.
The Jaguars’ defense is more concerning. This team was 26th in defensive DVOA, and they struggle mightily against the pass.
However, this unit can get pressure and hurries and can make life tough for opposing QBs. On a per-drive basis, this unit is 26th in time, 30th in plays, 24th in yards, and 15th in points.
They are great at stopping the rush, but they were 28th in yards allowed to opposing passers. To make matters worse, this team is 29th on third down and 24th in the red zone.
This offense can have its way with the Chargers’ defense, but the Jaguars’ defense will have a tough go against this Chargers’ offense.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Los Angeles Chargers Prediction
In this matchup, I lean toward the Jaguars. I think they have the edge in every aspect of the game besides QB, and while Herbert is amazing, Lawrence is plenty good. If Mike Wiliams is out, it will be really tough for the Chargers to establish themselves.
I also lean toward the over here. Both of these team’s offenses matchup well with the opposing defense, and it could be a game filled with fireworks.
Prediction: Jacksonville Jaguars Moneyline & Over 47.5 Points Scored
Opening Line Report | NFL Wild Card Round
Join Drew Martin and Teddy Covers for this week’s edition of Opening Line Report as these two discuss betting angles to take across every matchup on the board including this Jacksonville Jaguars vs Los Angeles Chargers AFC Wild Card Round game!
NFL Odds Board
WagerTalk’s Live Odds Screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the NFL point spreads, totals and betting percentages for all NFL Playoff games, including this Jacksonville Jaguars vs Los Angeles Chargers showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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Meet the Author
Eric Pauly, @slimeaction on Twitter, graduated from Binghamton University with a degree in Finance. Eric is a die-hard Washington Commanders and New York Knicks fan and enjoys watching and writing about the NFL, NBA and MLB. His favorite gambling movements include hitting a +1000 future on Washington to win the NFC East in 2020 and predicting Jonathan Taylor’s breakout season with a +900 ticket for him to win the 2021 NFL rushing title. Aside from the sports betting industry, and making a brilliant Cleveland Browns vs Los Angeles Chargers betting pick, Eric also enjoys good eats, dynasty fantasy football leagues, daily fantasy sports and playing the guitar.
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