Los Angeles Chargers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars Picks, Predictions, Odds

Michael Crosson Sports Betting Expert

5 minute read

NFL Super Wild Card Weekend will resume on Saturday night with a compelling AFC clash between the Los Angeles Chargers and Jacksonville Jaguars. Coverage begins from TIAA Bank Stadium at 8:15 p.m. ET on NBC.

Updated on 04/26/2024

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LOS ANGELES CHARGERS vs. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS BETTING PREDICTION

Despite already clinching a Wild Card spot prior to Week 18, Brandon Staley decided to play his starters in the Chargers’ meaningless regular-season finale, which ultimately, they paid the price for, as Mike Williams and Joey Bosa both exited last week’s matchup against Denver with injuries. And to make matters worse, they didn’t even win the game.

However, regardless of their latest outcome, the Chargers are still one of the most dangerous Wild Card teams in these playoffs, highlighted by the Bolts racking up 23.4 PPG across a 5-2 run to close the season, and defensively, surrendering 17 points or less in four of their last five contests.

Speaking of dangerous teams, though, L. A. will certainly have its work cut out for them on the road against the Jaguars this Saturday, who enter Wild Card Weekend riding an impressive five-game win streak, and they’ve now won seven of their last nine.

Jacksonville appeared to be down for the count after posting a miserable 3-7 start to the season. However, the Jaguars have averaged roughly 27 PPG across their last seven games, while eclipsing the 28-point mark in five of those contests. Which is a pretty air-tight formula when combined with their defense surrendering less than 21 PPG across that same window.

The Jaguars boast a heavy coaching advantage in this matchup, and over the last few seasons, the Chargers have become notorious for coming up short in big spots. So, no outcome would totally surprise me here, especially after seeing Jacksonville handle business against a very banged-up L. A. squad back in Week 3. 

When everything is firing on all cylinders for the Bolts, though, this is a team capable of standing toe-to-toe with anybody in the AFC, and Jacksonville simply hasn’t risen to those heights yet.

Score Prediction: Chargers 26, Jaguars 20
Best Bet: Chargers -2.5 (-110)

Take the Chargers!

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LOS ANGELES CHARGERS vs. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS BETTING ODDS

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LOS ANGELES CHARGERS vs. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS BETTING RESOURCES

Date: Saturday, January 14, 2023
Matchup: AFC West vs. AFC South
Venue: TIAA Bank Stadium
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
TV-Time: NBC, 8:15 p.m. ET

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS BETTING ANALYSIS

Neither of these squads are particularly known for their defensive play. However, the ‘under’ also strikes me as a solid wager in this matchup.

Jacksonville and L. A. both needed a handful of wins down the stretch in order to reach the postseason. And as a result, they’ve both straightened up on the defensive side of the ball, highlighted by the Chargers holding their opponent to less than 20 points in four of their last five games, and the Jaguars achieving that same feat in three straight.

The Chargers’ defense is incredibly talented, and it was only a matter of time before they got healthy and turned things around. However, I don’t share that same faith with Jacksonville’s defensive unit.

The Jaguars’ defense surrendered 27+ points in 7-of-14 matchups prior to their latest three-game stretch against the Jets, Titans, and Texans. And the Chargers have now scored 25+ points in four of their last eight contests.

So, ultimately, I decided to back L. A. and steer clear of the ‘under’ in fear of the Jaguars’ defense dropping the ball in this one.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS BETTING ANALYSIS

The Jaguars posted losses in six-of-eight matchups out of the gate under new head coach Doug Pederson, which was a bit concerning with five of those losses coming by relatively wide margins of 6+ points.

However, the Jaguars had a phenomenal back half of the season, highlighted by Trevor Lawrence and co. racking up a lofty average of 26 PPG across their last nine contests, which has been the primary catalyst behind their impressive 7-2 run.

Don’t overlook this Jacksonville’ defense, though, because they’ve also been pulling their weight  recently, considering the Jaguars have now held their opponent to 22 points or less in four of their last five games, and six of their last ten. And with the way their offense has been moving the ball as of late, I doubt we’ll see this squad go down without a fight.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS vs. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS BETTING TRENDS

• The Chargers are 4-0-1 ATS in their last five games.
• The total has gone UNDER in four of the Chargers' last six games.
• The Chargers are 4-1 SU in their last five games.
• The Jaguars are 4-1 ATS in their last five games.
• The Jaguars are 5-0 SU in their last five games.
• The total has gone OVER in six of Jacksonville's last seven games against the Chargers.
• The Jaguars are 4-1 SU in their last five home games.
• The Chargers are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games against Jacksonville.
• The Chargers are 8-2 SU in their last 10 games against Jacksonville.
• The Chargers are 7-2 ATS in their last nine road games.

Where to place a bet this NFL Season?

• Use our exclusive BetMGM Bonus Code VIBONUS1500 to unlock BetMGM’s welcome offer for new sportsbook users!
• Compare the latest NFL Odds from the best sportsbooks before placing a bet on this week's games.
• Check out the North Carolina Sportsbooks just before they launch legal online sports betting.

Michael Crosson

Michael Crosson began his time at VegasInsider as a freelance NBA writer back in 2019 while he continued to study Psychology and Biology at James Madison University. Following his graduation in 2021, Michael joined the team full-time, and he's been with VI ever since. Michael still writes NBA, NFL, and MLB for VI, as well as gambling industry news. He's also become a crucial part of our editorial production team. More from Michael Crosson