For the first time in history, the Los Angeles Chargers and Jacksonville Jaguars will meet in the postseason. The Chargers and Jaguars will square off at TIAA Bank Field on Saturday during the 2023 NFL playoffs. Los Angeles is the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoff bracket with a 10-7 record and four wins in the last five games. The Jaguars are 9-8, but Jacksonville is the No. 4 seed after winning the AFC South with a five-game winning streak to end the regular season. In the process, Jacksonville became only the third team in NFL history to make the NFL playoff bracket after starting 2-6. Chargers receiver Mike Williams (back) is inactive.
Kickoff is at 8:15 p.m. ET in Jacksonville. The Chargers are favored by 1.5, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 47 in the latest Jaguars vs. Chargers odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Before you make any Chargers vs. Jaguars picks and NFL playoff predictions, you need to see what SportsLine's resident Jaguars expert, Mike Tierney, has to say.
A veteran sportswriter whose work appears periodically in The New York Times and Los Angeles Times, Mike Tierney has covered the NFL for decades and reported from seven Super Bowls. He entered the 2022 NFL season 232-204-10 against-the-spread since the start of the 2018 season. In addition, he is an amazing 33-14 on his last 47 picks in games involving the Jaguars, returning nearly $1,800. Anyone who has followed him is way up.
Now, Tierney has set his sights on Chargers vs. Jaguars and just locked in his picks and NFL playoff predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Now, here are several NFL odds betting lines and trends for Chargers vs. Jaguars:
- Jaguars vs. Chargers spread: Chargers -1.5
- Jaguars vs. Chargers over/under: 47 points
- Jaguars vs. Chargers money line: Chargers -135, Jaguars +115
- LAC: Chargers are 7-2 against the spread in road games
- JAX: Jaguars are 4-4 against the spread in home/neutral games
- Jaguars vs. Chargers picks: See picks here
Why the Chargers can cover
Los Angeles has an opportunistic defense, as evidenced by 24 takeaways this season. The Chargers also rank in the top eight in first downs allowed, passing yards allowed, and fourth down efficiency allowed, while producing at an above-average level in the red zone. Quarterback Justin Herbert became the third quarterback in history to throw at least 25 passing touchdowns in each of his first three seasons.
Herbert is flanked by standout running back Austin Ekeler, who led the NFL with 18 total touchdowns, and Jacksonville has red flags on defense. The Jaguars are No. 24 or worse in total defense (353.3 yards allowed per game), passing defense (238.5 yards allowed per game), third down efficiency allowed (43.2%), and red zone efficiency allowed (59.6%). See which team to pick here.
Why the Jaguars can cover
Jacksonville is in the top 12 in allowing fewer than 21 points per game, and is in the top five with 27 takeaways and a 14.4% turnover creation rate. Jacksonville is in the top eight in yards allowed per carry (4.2) and leads the league in fourth down efficiency allowed at 32.3%. Los Angeles struggles to run the ball, producing only 3.8 yards per carry, and the Chargers are No. 30 in the league in rushing yards per game.
Jacksonville is excellent through the air on offense behind quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who has 15 passing touchdowns and only two interceptions in the last nine games. He leads a top-10 unit in passing offense, and Lawrence is in the top eight in competitions (387), passing touchdowns (25), and sack rate (4.42%). See which team to pick here.
How to make Chargers vs. Jaguars picks
Tierney has analyzed this matchup and while we can tell you he's leaning Under the point total, he has also discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He's only sharing what it is, and which side to back, at SportsLine.
Who wins Chargers vs. Jaguars in the NFL playoffs 2023? And which critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see Tierney's Chargers vs. Jaguars picks, all from the expert who is 33-14 on picks involving the Jaguars, and find out.
