LA Chargers vs New England Patriots NFL Week 8 Preview

LA Chargers vs New England Patriots Betting Preview

WagerTalk NFL handicapper Tony Finn offers his LA Chargers vs New England Patriots NFL Week 8 betting preview. At the time of posting, the Chargers are 5-point home favorites over the Patriots in the AFC showdown with the total sitting at 49 points.

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LA Chargers vs New England Patriots Predictions

LA Chargers -5 vs New England Patriots
Total: 49 Points
New England is 19-9-1 against the spread as an underdog over the last 12 seasons (yes, they’ve only been an underdog 29 times since 2009).
The under is 15-8 in New England’s last 23 games.

The New England Patriots begin a two-game bit that finds them playing the visitors in consecutive road games. The first of the pair is in Los Angeles in the second Sunday window at SoFi Stadium versus the Chargers. At 3-4 on the season and one-and-a-half games back of the AFC East-leading Buffalo Bills, a split on the road trip by coach Bill Belichick’s squad is a must, with a sweep being the obvious favor. The Patriots are in Carolina for a matchup against the Panthers a week from this Sunday, Week 9 of the league slate.

Rookie quarterback Mac Jones completed 24 of 36 passes for a season-high 307 yards and 2 TDs against zero interceptions last week. Jones registered a 111.7 QB rating.

The Los Angeles Chargers have had two weeks to prepare for rookie Jones. Defensively, the Chargers own a plethora of advantages over the conservative scheme of the Patriots’ offense. The Bolts have surrendered more rushing yards per game this season than every defense in the league. LA’s defense has surrendered 162.5 yards per game and 5.5 yards per rush. The Chargers have toughed out a difficult schedule in 2021.

The Bolts have fulfilled their scheduled games against Washington, Dallas, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Cleveland, and Baltimore. Three of the first six games the Chargers have already played have come against Top-5 rush offenses. That trio of teams being the Cowboys, Browns, and Ravens. The Chargers coaching staff plans to activate DL Justin Jones off the IR and have him dressed and active for Sunday’s game against the Patriots.

The Patriots have three wins in the first half of the league season. The three victories have come against the Jets (twice) and the Texans. The combined record of New York and Houston is 2-11. The Patriots don’t have a quality win yet this season, but a victory over the Chargers would qualify.

Justin Herbert connected on 22 of 39 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown and one interception. in Week 6 vs the Baltimore Ravens.The Chargers field general is only a second-year pro and the team is under the guidance of a first-year head coach in Brandon Staley. Los Angeles has not hidden the fact that the offense is and will be a pass-heavy offense. Los Angeles ranks 25th in the league in rushing yards per game. The average yards per game is a mere 95 per game and the average yards per carry is 4.1. Austin Ekeler will continue to carry 65-70 percent of the Chargers carries as long as he is healthy and active. Ekeler averages almost five yards per carry and has four rushing touchdowns on the season.

Herbert finds his mojo in the last half of this rookie campaign, the 2019-20 season. Hebert led the Chargers to a Top-10 ranking in a pass-happy scheme. Hebert and the Chargers average over 282 yards passing per game. Wide receiver Keenan Allen remains Hebert’s top target.

Los Angeles upgraded their offensive line and have dynamic weapons at every position on the offense. The Los Angeles defense has underperformed by most measures but heads into this Week 8 contest having the situation advantage of more prep time against a Patriots team that will have traveled three time zones.

The bookmakers opened the game with the home team carrying a 5.5-point handicap. Monday arrived and early money came in on the Chargers pushing the spread to minus-6. Wednesday found a couple of sharp groups grabbing Circa’s six points and the Patriots bringing the number down to a flat five.

Nearly every angle in this contest favors the Chargers. LA has had more preparation time, nearly two full weeks, to heal the battered and the bruised. The Chargers are head-and-shoulders more dynamic offensively and have a pair of linebackers and edge rushers on the defensive side of the football. The logical lean is on the home team Chargers minus the points in this AFC showdown.

🏈Some important games in the NFC this week that may have playoff/seeding implications later on. Join @kellyinvegas @MarcoInVegas @Greek_Gambler and @CalSportsLV for #BetOnIt as we break down Cardinals vs Packers and Vikings vs Cowboys in #NFL Week 8.https://t.co/Kc0KImJ2Kj

— WagerTalk (@WagerTalk) October 28, 2021

LA Chargers vs New England Patriots Analysis from The GoldSheet

The last time Bill Belichick faced the Bolts at SoFi Stadium, the Patriots ran roughshod almost 11 months ago rolling 45-0 in the Cam Newton days. That was a watershed game for the Chargers, with Anthony Lynn effectively a lame-duck thereafter, paving the way for first-year head coach Brandon Staley, while LA has only lost two games since. As for Belichick, he might be up to his old tricks, unfortunate not to beat the high-flying Bucs and Cowboys at home in recent weeks before dismantling the Jets in a 54-point barrage last Sunday that saw Josh McDaniels open up his playbook like he did during the Brady years.

LA Chargers vs New England Patriots Video Preview

New England won 45-0 in Los Angeles last year. Can the Chargers earn some revenge with a new head coach at the helm? WagerTalk NFL handicappers Kelly Stewart, Teddy Covers and Steve Merril offer their LA Chargers vs New England Patriots predictions.

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