Our Los Angeles Chargers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars prediction looks at the Super Wild Card Weekend matchup that features a rich QB battle. Let’s dive into the current NFL betting odds, key storylines to watch, and make a prediction for the game. Note that all odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook as of Monday, Jan. 9.
Chargers vs. Jaguars Odds
- Spread
Chargers -1.5 - Moneyline
Chargers -125, Jaguars +105 - Over/Under
47.5 points
Chargers vs. Jaguars Prediction
The Chargers solidified their spot in the 2022-2023 NFL postseason two weeks ago and will now take on a surging Jaguars team in Jacksonville this Saturday evening. Brandon Staley has done a superb job of righting the ship over the latter half of the season, and this LA team could very well make some noise as the No. 5 seed in the AFC Playoffs.
The big storyline going into this matchup will be the battle of Trevor Lawrence vs. Justin Herbert. With Herbert at 24 years old and Lawrence at 23 years old, there’s a strong possibility that this is not the last time these two encounter one another in the postseason throughout their careers, and it’s going to be must-watch television.
For LA, they’ll have a bit of an advantage in the passing game department with the matchup against Jacksonville’s secondary. Over the course of this season, Jacksonville has allowed the fifth-most passing yards per game with 238.5. If all of Herbert’s playmakers are healthy – Mike Williams will be a player to monitor going into this game – that could be the path for LA advancing to the next round of the playoffs.
As for Jacksonville, it’s been an incredible turnaround for this franchise this season. That is not only referring to the incredible job by Doug Pederson to steady the ship after the destruction that Urban Meyer left behind but also their in-season rebound.
At one point this year, Jacksonville was a lackluster 4-8 and seemed destined to be making a top-10 NFL draft selection yet again. However, the Jaguars ended the year on a five-game win streak and won a crucial matchup in Week 18 over their rival to take control of the AFC South.
For the first time since Jan. 7, 2018, Jacksonville will host a playoff game, and all eyes will be on their star QB. Lawrence’s progression this season is a big reason why the Jaguars are even in this spot to make a postseason run, and the pairing of this HC and QB promises to do some special things over the next several seasons.
MORE: NFL Wild Card Weekend Schedule
The key for Jacksonville to win this matchup is to reactivate their run game. Last week against the Titans, the Jaguars accumulated just 19 total rushing yards as a team. Against the Chargers’ defense allowing a shocking 145.8 rushing yards per game this season, they should have more room to operate.
If they can lean on the ground game in an advantageous matchup, control the clock, and keep the Chargers offense on the sidelines, there’s a strong possibility that Jacksonville advances to the second round of the postseason.
Chargers vs. Jaguars Score Prediction
Jaguars 24, Chargers 23