The first NFL “battle of L.A.” will take place this weekend as the Los Angeles Chargers and the Los Angeles Rams will battle it out at SoFi Stadium in their preseason opener. It’s time to continue our NFL odds series and make a Chargers-Rams prediction and pick.

Both teams are coming into the 2021 season with high expectations. The Rams will be determined to make it back Super Bowl for the second time in four years after signing Matthew Stafford in a blockbuster offseason trade that sent quarterback Jared Goff and three draft picks to the Detroit Lions.

Meanwhile, the Chargers will have their own lofty goals. They are entering year two of the Justin Herbert era and have a new head coach in Brandon Staley.

Here’s how sportsbooks have set the Chargers-Rams Odds.

NFL Odds: Chargers-Rams Odds

Los Angeles Chargers -3.5 (-105)

Los Angeles Rams +3.5 (-115)

Over 32.5 points (-110)

Under 32.5 points (-110)

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Why The Chargers Could Cover the Spread

New head coach Brandon Staley has already announced that his core starters will not suit up against the Rams, including Justin Herbert.

This means that eleven-year veteran Chase Daniel will get that start.  Last season, Daniel completed 67.4% of his 43 passing attempts and had one touchdown, along with two interceptions.

One of the biggest things to pay attention to during the Chargers this preseason will be their ability to protect the quarterback. According to Pro Football Focus and their rankings, the Chargers’ offensive line has been considered the worst in the NFL for several years now. However, this offseason, the front office finally made it a priority and made moves hoping to better protect their young franchise quarterback.

Los Angeles signed Pro Bowl center Corey Linsley from Green Bay, offensive lineman Matt Feiler, and drafted Northwestern offensive tackle Rashawn Slater with the 13th overall pick.

Why The Rams Could Cover the Spread

As we have come to expect, Sean McVay will rest all of his starters and most of the key reserves in the preseason opener. Back-up quarterback John Wolford will also miss the game, as he is recovering appendectomy. This means that we will see Devlin Hodges start under center against the Chargers.

Hodges did not see the field during the 2020 season, but he did start six games for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019. In that stint, he completed 62.5% of his passes and has five touchdowns and eight interceptions.

The running back situation will be something the Rams will be looking to sort out this preseason. With Cam Akers tearing his ACL and set to miss the entire 2021 season, Sean McVay is now in search of someone to play second fiddle to Darrell Henderson in the backfield.

Xavier Jones and Jake Funk are currently the two players in contention for the role.

Final Chargers-Rams Prediction & Pick

This game will mostly be about evaluating the second, third, and even fourth-string players. However, expect the Chargers to have the advantage earlier on, especially with the experience Chase Daniel brings to the table.

Additionally, the Chargers often look to earn positive results in the preseason. According to winnersandwhiners.com, they are 7-0 against the spread in their last seven preseason games.

For those reasons, look for Brandon Staley to earn his first win as a Chargers head coach and cover the spread.

FINAL CHARGERS-RAMS PREDICTION & PICK: Chargers -3.5 (-105)