The Los Angeles Chargers and the Washington Football Team will face off in the first week of NFL action. It's time to continue our NFL odds series and make a Chargers-Washington prediction and pick. Consider the Chargers-Washington odds in the process of wrestling with this game.
The Chargers come into the 2021 season as one of the most talked-about teams in the NFL. There are sky high expectations surrounding quarterback Justin Herbert after an amazing rookie season, and some big offseason additions have many people expecting a playoff berth from this Los Angeles squad. That starts here against Washington, a team that actually made the playoffs last year.
Head coach Ron Rivera's team undeniably improved in the offseason with a plethora of additions. The NFC East should be far more competitive this season, but the expectation is that Washington fights for the division title. This early matchup between two playoff hopefuls should be a good one, so let's get into the Chargers Washington pick.
Here's how the bookmakers have set the odds for Sunday's game.
NFL Odds: Chargers-Washington Odds
Los Angeles Chargers PK (100)
Washington Football Team PK (-120)
Over 44 1/2 points (-110)
Under 44 1/2 points (-110)
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Why The Chargers Could Win
The Chargers are known for their offense, but it's their defense that will play a huge part in winning this game. Los Angeles should be at full health for this matchup, deploying a defense that includes Joey Bosa and Derwin James. The Football Team is set to deploy Charles Leno Jr. at left tackle and rookie Sam Cosmi at right tackle, meaning that Washington is deploying one of their weakest offensive lines in years. Ryan Fitzpatrick is a total wild card at quarterback who could be missing his second-best target in Curtis Samuel. Washington was in the bottom ten in points per game and yards per game last year, so the Chargers should be able to handle this offense easily. Consider this when you make a Chargers Washington prediction.
Los Angeles doesn't have the same problems as Washington does on offense. Herbert is expected to lead one of the league's most prolific passing attacks centered around wide receiver Keenan Allen. Running back Austin Ekeler returns to the lineup after missing nearly all of last season due to injury. General manager Tom Telesco used this past offseason to completely rebuild the offensive line, bringing in four new starters at left tackle, center, and both guard spots. This offense was great last year despite horrible offensive line play, so now that the line is about average the offense should explode. That's part of the calculus in the Chargers Washington odds.
Why The Washington Football Team Could Win
Much like last season, Washington will rely on their defense to score them wins. Last year's unit was the second-best defense in the league in terms of yards allowed per game, and they only got better over the offseason. The defensive line features four former first-round picks, all of whom are playing fantastic football. Rookie first-rounder Jamin Davis shores up the linebacker group, while safety Landon Collins returns to the secondary after an injury-riddled 2020. This defense will be one of the best in football this year, and they have a chance to prove that against Los Angeles. It's an interesting component to weigh when you make a Chargers Washington pick.
When looking at the matchup between the Chargers offensive line and the Washington defensive line it's easy to discount how important continuity is. Los Angeles is counting on four new starters to play well along the offensive line, a strategy that very rarely works to perfection. More than likely, one or two of those additions won't meet expectations. Oday Aboushi is already a huge liability at right guard, and rookie Rashawn Slater has a horrible matchup in his first week in the NFL. This offensive line won't perform nearly as well as people think it will in week one, which gives the Football Team a huge leg up.
Final Chargers-Washington Prediction & Pick
This game is a pick'em for good reason, but the Chargers should pull out a win here. The offense is too good to be completely shut down by Washington, and the defense is more than good enough to handle the Ryan Fitzpatrick-led opposing unit. The under is another solid pick here.
FINAL PICK: Los Angeles Chargers PK (-116)
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