Los Angeles Chargers NFL Betting Lines - Football Odds

Los Angeles Chargers NFL Betting Online

I’ve wasted countless hours screaming from the mountain top that Brandon Staley needed to be axed throughout his tumultuous 2+ years calling the shots in Tinseltown for the Los Angeles Chargers. The guy was simply rushed into a head coaching gig simply didn’t possess the chops to get the job done evidenced by the gross underperformance of the franchise when under his watch. Thankfully, I no longer have to make mention of his poor game theory with him now buried on the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff. Out with the old and in with the new that comes in the form of Jim Harbaugh, fresh of coaching the Michigan Wolverines to the National Championship, along with proven coordinators and a philosophy that’s won a number of NFL games in the past. Whether that translates to more wins for a roster brimming with talent remains to be seen, but linemakers at the online sportsbook certainly appear bullish with the Bolts odds of making the playoffs coming in at a near coin flip (+107) early in the offseason. That speaks volumes about a team that only managed five wins to bring up the rear of the AFC West standings last season!

When healthy, the Chargers have demonstrated their potential to win games and be playoff contenders. Despite Staley’s perplexing decisions that cost the team several victories, LA still managed to win 19 games under his leadership from 2021-22. With many key players from those teams remaining on the roster and new talent added through free agency, trades, and the NFL Draft, consistent success seems within reach. However, this will largely depend on the team avoiding the injury bug that has plagued them for several seasons, leaving them undermanned week after week. Hopefully, an improved strength and conditioning staff has been brought in as part of this new era. If not, this season may follow the same pattern, with the Chargers once again trailing the Kansas City Chiefs in the final division standings.

NFL Betting Lines

Though veterans Austin Ekeler, Keenan Allen, and Mike Williams are no longer on the roster, and the pass catching corps looks to be a bit light, it remains to be seen exactly what type of offense the Chargers will run in 2024-25 with a now healthy Justin Herbert back under center. LA’s stud field general saw his 2024 campaign come to an abrupt end after fracturing the index finger of his throwing hand in the Week 14 loss to the Denver Broncos. This came after battling a nasty gash on his non-throwing hand earlier in the year. Even so, he still went on to throw for 3100+ yards and solid 20:7 TD/INT ratio. Though he threw for at least 4300+ yards in each of his first three healthy seasons, the online sportsbook currently has his regular season passing yardage chiming in at 3,525.5 yards. That lets it be known how much different the offense will look now with a new coaching staff in place that makes it a point to run the ball.

It also has to do with the fact that the wide receiver corps reads as such: Joshua Palmer, Quentin Johnston, D.J. Chark, and rookie Ladd McConkey who was snagged early in the second round of the NFL Draft. The unit is young and injury prone. With that, it comes with little surprise to see his passing yards prop noticeably shortening up. Also adding to the hypothesis that LA will run the football a ton this year with Greg Roman calling the shots and the Ravens starting backfield of a year ago, J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, now the RB1 and RB2 on the roster. Added to the mix is former Troy workhorse Kimani Vidal who enters the NFL as the 2023 Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year and 3rd-Team AP All-American after rushing for a career-high 1,661 yards and 14 TD for the Trojans. With ample pieces to run the football behind a retooled offensive line that includes first round draft pick Joe Alt, the Chargers offense is highly likely to have a much different look to it.

Having failed to meet linemakers' expectations for the past five seasons, with Los Angeles falling short of its season win total each year, it’s somewhat surprising to see the NFL betting market buying into the hype. Jim Harbaugh’s arrival plays a significant role in this optimism. The Chargers' win total odds are set at 8.5, following previous season totals of 9.5, 10.5, 9.5, 8, and 10 dating back to 2019. Despite the coaching change and the online sportsbook predicting one fewer win than last season, the current over/under has heavy -148 vig on the high side of the impost. This bullish outlook from NFL bettors is largely due to the talented roster now under a more seasoned coaching staff, but an anticipated easy cast of opponents looks to be the cherry on top. Sharp Football Analysis ranks the Chargers' schedule strength as the second easiest, trailing only the Atlanta Falcons. Although nine of their 17 games are on the road, only two of those opponents are currently favored to make the playoffs. They face the AFC North and NFC South, along with standalone games against the Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, and New England Patriots, none of which are favored to make the postseason. The ingredients for success in the first year of the new regime are present, but whether it materializes remains to be seen given the franchise's historically fragile psyche and extreme lack of a home field advantage.

Los Angeles Chargers Schedule & Results

Founded in 1960 as charter members of the American Football League, the Los Angeles Chargers moved to San Diego in 1961. Barron Hilton, an heir to the famous hotel chain, was the original owner. He named the team the Chargers after his credit card company that was aligned to his hotels and restaurants. The early Chargers were the power of the American Football League. Their marquee man was Hall of Fame receiver Lance “Bambi” Alworth. Head coach Sid Gilman was a pioneer in passing game development. The Chargers played in the first two AFL championship games, losing both. Finally, they won the 1963 AFL championship. After losing the AFL championship game in the next two years, the Chargers went into a long period of darkness.

But head coach Don Coryell and quarterback Dan Fouts led a franchise resurgence in the early 1980s. Following that was another long period of losing. The Chargers made their only Super Bowl appearance in the 1995 season, losing to the 49ers. From 2004 through 2018, the Chargers made the playoffs seven times. For most of those years, the quarterback was Philip Rivers, who could never get the Chargers to the Super Bowl. Finally, after years of futility in trying to get a new stadium built, the Chargers returned to LA from San Diego in 2017.

Since then, the franchise has not won a division title and has only made it to the postseason twice, largely due to poor coaching and an inability to stay healthy. With Jim Harbaugh taking over as head coach for the 2024-25 season and the roster undergoing a strategic overhaul, there is renewed hope that the team can compete with the Kansas City Chiefs and become a Super Bowl contender.

Los Angeles Chargers Past Seasons (2000)

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