Heading into Week 17, Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers will be taking on Baker Mayfield and the Los Angeles Rams. While this matchup features two teams who share a stadium, they have had drastically different seasons. Before this Chargers-Rams matchup, we will be giving our Chargers Week 17 predictions.
Led by Herbert, the Chargers are 9-6 on the season. After last week's win over the Indianapolis Colts, the Chargers secured their spot in the playoffs. This will be their first trip to the postseason since 2019.
With teams still looking to play for playoff positions, the Chargers could be in full force as they take on the Rams.
At times this season, the Chargers have looked like one of the most dominant teams in the NFL. Now, as they get closer to being fully healthy, they are looking to prepare for the postseason. This could lead to a big game from them in Week 17.
Here are three bold predictions for the Chargers in Week 17
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Austin Ekeler reaches the end zone
Chargers running back has been a star this season. While he didn't earn a trip to the Pro Bowl this season, he has looked like the NFL’s best back at times.
Ekeler has been crucial to the Chargers offense every week, through both the air and on the ground. In 15 games, he has recorded 759 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on 183 carries. He has also recorded 99 receptions for 647 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 119 targets. In total, he has reached the end zone 16 times this season.
In recent weeks, Ekeler has found the endzone with ease. Over the past three games, he has scored four touchdowns, including two in Week 16.
Ekeler will now have the chance to line up against a Rams defense missing their star. With Aaron Donald out of the lineup, the Rams may struggle with slowing down Ekeler. Based on his production in recent weeks, he could once again be in line to stuff the stat sheet.
Justin Herbert dominates through the air
Expectations were sky-high for Justin Herbert entering his third season in the NFL. The Chargers QB1 has lived up to the expectations, if not surpassing them.
With an injured offensive line, and without his two main targets at wide receiver in Keenan Allen and Mike Williams for much of the season, Herbert has still managed to find success. Heading into Week 17, he has thrown for 4,254 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. While he hasn't found the endzone like he did over the first two seasons, he has still put the Chargers in positions to win games.
This past week, as the Chargers took down the Colts, Herbert delivered one of his less memorable stat lines of the season. In the 20-3 victory, he threw for just 235 yards and one interception.
In the three games before that, Herbert put up massive numbers through the air. Over that stretch, he surpassed 300 passing yards in each game, totaling 1,015 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.
With how he has performed in recent weeks, he is due for a big game. And it could come against a Rams defense that has allowed the 11th most passing yards in the NFL.
The Chargers, with Williams and Allen lining up at receiver, will look to push the ball down the field early and often. They could test the Rams secondary in a way that few teams have. This could lead to the Chargers earning their 10th win of the season.
The Chargers defense slows down the Rams
On Christmas day, as the Rams took down the Denver Broncos, they delivered one of the biggest offensive outings of the season.
In the one-sided contest, the Rams took down the Broncos 51-14. The Rams offense was near perfect through the air and on the ground. Baker Mayfield finished the day throwing for 280 yards and two touchdowns. On the ground, running back Cam Akers had a career day, recording 118 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries.
The Chargers defense will now need to slow down a Rams offense coming off of their best game of the season. But if all goes to plan, they will be able to do just that.
In recent weeks, the Chargers defense has given every opponent a problem. Over their past three games, they have allowed just 34 total points.
Much of their success has come by getting into the backfield and applying pressure to the quarterback. Even with injuries to their defensive front, the Chargers defense has totaled 35 sacks this season. On the opposite side, Rams quarterbacks have been sacked 51 times, the third most in the NFL.
If the Chargers can apply pressure to Baker Mayfield, they could stop the Rams offense in their tracks. This could be the key to victory.
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