Los Angeles Chargers: Staff predictions vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
By Jason Reed
The Los Angeles Chargers’ season may be practically over but we still need to continue guessing if they will win or blow the game yet again.
The Los Angeles Chargers have lost eight games this season, all by seven points or fewer. In fact, the 4-8 Los Angeles Chargers have a positive point differential. That is right, a team with twice as many losses as wins has scored more points than they have allowed!
As a Charger fan what I am really rooting for is that the team has one 30-point blowout in them and moves that differential way up. Then, if they lose the other three games like they have the first eight losses then the Chargers could have a point differential in double-digits with a 5-11 record.
Those are the kind of things I am holding onto now as the chances of making the playoffs are not mathematically eliminated yet, but are practically eliminated. All I want is something funny to root for and a high draft pick for a new starting quarterback.
But the show must go on for our weekly Los Angeles football picks. Here is how we think this game is going to go down.
Jamaal Artis (13-5): 20-17, Jacksonville Jaguars
It’s hard to get excited about the remainder of the Los Angeles Chargers’ next game. At 4-8 they play the similarly 4-8 Jacksonville Jaguars on the road.
The Chargers won one game in October and one game in November so this will probably be their only win of December.
The Jaguars are banged up, have lost four games in a row and have trouble scoring points averaging 18.3 a season. The Chargers should be favorites even on the road. Unfortunately, they’ve been so inept lately I congratulate the Jaguars on ending their losing streak.
Hil Lopez (11-11): 21-14, Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers look to salvage their season possibly at .500 with a road tilt against the Jaguars. The Chargers keep finding new ways to lose as they lost on a last-second field goal to Denver 23-20 in which Drew Lock made his first career start. Rivers played a bit better but still hasn’t looked good.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars try to see what they have with Gardner Minshew, who sparked the Jags to a mini-comeback last game before he was ultimately thwarted by the Bucs defense. I can see the Chargers squeaking out a 21-14 win.
Redan Lopez (9-11): 24-20, Los Angeles Chargers
Poor QB play by Philip Rivers and the inability to close games has pushed the Chargers out of playoff contention. The Chargers do not have anything but pride to play for now. With the Jaguars having the same inconsistency at QB and Gardiner Minshew now in the fold, he will be rusty.
The Chargers will do just enough to get the win and show they are the talented bunch we all thought they were. Albeit, it will be a close one.
Jason Reed (12-12): 24-20, Jacksonville Jaguars
As a fan of the Chargers, I apologize in advance for how ugly this game is going to be. The Chargers are traveling east, which means a turnover-prone offense is going to be sluggish and is going to turn the ball over even more.
Minshew Mania is back and while I don’t think he will be great against a solid Chargers’ secondary, he will lead the team on a late fourth-quarter drive and score a touchdown to go up by seven, likely on something ridiculous like a lateral.
Next. Melvin Gordon will return, here is why. dark
It will be the same song and dance. Philip Rivers with the ball with two minutes left looking to take the lead. We see the same thing every single week. Why should I expect anything different?