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Andrew Rogers
Chargers vs. Football Team Point Spread: NFL Week 1 Odds, Prediction
One team is led by an electrifying quarterback coming off an incredible rookie season – the other is looking to return to respectability behind a journeyman QB looking to remain in the league. Storylines abound Sunday as Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers tangle with Ryan Fitzpatrick and host Washington. Neither team is ranked inside the Top-6 in their respective conference title odds race, but a Week 1 win could change one club’s fortunes.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
There’s no guarantee the game will stay a true Pick ‘Em on the NFL odds, but if it does, it’ll be rarefied air for both teams. The Chargers last played a Pick ‘Em back in 2017, comfortably covering in a 21-0 win over Denver. Washington has gone even longer between Pick ‘Em games, with its previous one coming back in 2006 (a 24-14 home loss to Atlanta). Washington was 3-5 straight up and 4-3-1 against the spread in its eight home games last season.
The total for Sunday’s season opener is set at 44.5, with two-thirds of Sports Interaction bettors siding with the Under. Washington was one of the top Under options in the NFL last season, posting a 5-10-1 O/U record while finishing below the number in each of its final five games. The Chargers, meanwhile, were a streaky totals team, opening with three Unders before reeling off a seven-game Over streak and finishing up with a 4-2 Under run.
Los Angeles Chargers
Expectations are sky-high for Herbert in Year 2. The Oregon product burst onto the scene last season, finishing with 4,336 passing yards and 31-touchdowns. He’ll have all of his major offensive weapons from last season back in the fold, including versatile running back Austin Ekeler and star wide receiver Keenan Allen. The biggest change on offence: the departure of tight end Hunter Henry to New England; he’ll be replaced to start the season by veteran Jared Cook.
Washington Football Team
Fitzpatrick kicks off the 2021 season with his ninth NFL team – and there’s no telling what the offence will look like. Promising rusher Antonio Gibson leads a stout ground game, while the arrival of Curtis Samuel bolsters a pass attack that features one of the league’s top rising stars in Terry McLaurin. And on defence, the arrival of first-round linebacker Jamin Davis gives Washington a dangerous double-threat alongside Defensive Rookie of the Year Chase Young.
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