Los Angeles Chargers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars NFL Wild Card Betting Preview
12 January 2023
There are a couple of interesting NFL Wild Card Playoff games on Saturday, including a matchup between the Jaguars and Los Angeles Chargers in Jacksonville. This is a rematch of a regular season game that was won by the Jags, but things have changed in a big way since that point.
Los Angeles comes into this game with an overall record of 10-7, and they finished the year by playing some great football. The Chargers were expected to be a playoff team this season, and they were able to get that done after a slow start.
The Jacksonville Jaguars were a surprising winner of the AFC South this season, and they ended the year by winning five straight games. Jacksonville went 9-8 during the regular season, and they got rewarded with a home playoff game.
The Los Angeles Chargers are slim one-point betting favorites over the Jacksonville Jaguars on the road on Saturday night.
Herbert Leading Chargers Charge
Quarterback Justin Herbert threw for nearly 4,800 yards during the regular season, but he also had ten interceptions. Herbert is going to take some shots down the field in this game, but the Chargers can’t afford to have any turnovers.
Running back Austin Ekeler is one of the most underrated players in the league, as he racked up nearly 1,600 yards from scrimmage. The Chargers want to throw the football, but Ekeler can put the game away on the ground if they get a lead.
Los Angeles was not a dominant defense this season, but they are starting to get healthy at the right time. The Chargers will need to prove that they can stop the run in this game.
Jags Must Run the Ball
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for over 4,100 yards this season, but Jacksonville doesn’t want to win this game through the air. The Jags need to find a way to slow down the pace in this game, and they can do that by running the football.
Running back Travis Etienne Jr. had over 1,100 rushing yards this season, and he was also a factor in the rushing attack. Jacksonville is going to need to put together some long drives, and they aren’t facing a great defense in this game.
The Jacksonville defense has been playing well of late, as they have given up just 22 total points over the last three games. Getting pressure on Justin Herbert is going to be a huge key in this matchup.
Chargers Keep Marching in the AFC
It’s not easy to win on the road in the NFL Playoffs, but it’s also not easy for young teams to win on their first attempt. Both teams are facing a tough challenge on Saturday night, but it is the Chargers that are the better offensive team.
This game has all of the makings of being a shootout, and it’s just hard to see the Jaguars being able to keep up for four quarters. Los Angeles just has so many weapons on offense, and Justin Herbert is not going to let his team lose this game.
Bet the Los Angeles Chargers -1.0 as they are able to pick up a comfortable win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday night.
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All Media on this page by Associated Press.
