New York Jets vs Los Angeles Chargers Prediction

The New York Jets had their chance at their first victory and blew it in the end. They enter this game with an 0-9 record and have their eyes squarely set on the 2021 NFL Draft, and the potential to draft Trevor Lawrence. The Los Angeles Chargers have been close this season, but haven’t been able to stack together any victories. They’re 2-7 on the season, but feel good about their future. This game will be played on Sunday, November 22nd at 4:05 P.M EST, and the Chargers are 8.5 point favorites.

Los Angeles Chargers Preview

As I said, the Chargers have been very close this season. Including their oss last week to Miami, since Justin Herbert was named starter, the Chargers have not lost a game by more than eight points. They’ve been competing in every game against some good teams, and it shows not only how good Justin Herbert has been, but how close this team may be. Without a couple of the injuries this team has had and this season may have been completely different.

Speaking of Justin Herbert, he’s on a short list for Rookie of the Year right now. He’s 1-7 in his starts, but he’s done his part. He’s thrown for 2,333 yards and 19 touchdowns, while only throwing six interceptions. Whether or not the Chargers even win any more games this season is not their main concern at the moment, it’s the development of Herbert, who looks even better than advertised. That has to have Los Angeles feeling good about their future prospects in this tough division.

With the potential for a high draft pick this season, the Chargers can look to fill some additional holes on this roster. Some of the pieces are already there, such as Keenan Allen and Hunter Henry on offense, and Joey Bosa on defense. With the development of Herbert looking ahead of schedule, 2020 has to be considered a success for LA. With the winless Jets on the schedule this week, maybe they’ll even pick up another win.

New York Jets Preview

At this point, it’s clear that the New York Jets aren’t really in the market for winning games. In their last game against the New England Patriots, they held a 10-point lead midway through the 4th quarter, only to lose on a game-winning field goal. They’re sitting at 0-9, but it may be in their best interest to continue to lose games with the Jacksonville Jaguars only a game behind them for the #1 pick.

The team announced that quarterback Sam Darnold will once again miss this game. He’s been dealing with a shoulder injury, and with the team potentially looking to trade him after the season, the last thing they want is for him to aggravate his injury. Joe Flacco has been playing in relief, and while he hasn’t looked phenomenal, he made some impressive plays against the Patriots, including two touchdown passes to Breshard Perriman. 

The Jets goal is to rebuild, as evidenced by their trade of Jamal Adams, so it’s no surprise that they’re losing. General Manager Joe Douglas knows that the quickest way to contention may be a winless season this year, and they’re doing what they can to get there. They’re not flat-out tanking, but let’s call it an organic tank. It’s more beneficial to lose, and they’re not hiding the fact. The real test will be the offseason, when the Jets will have piles of money to spend in free agency and potentially a treasure chest of draft picks. This embarrassing season may be worth it in the end.

Full Game Prediction

This game will not feature any team that will be in the playoffs, but the Chargers are exactly where the Jets hope to be in a season. They have their young quarterback, and the Jets are hoping to land theirs. Expect the Chargers to win this game, and for Herbert to have another great game against New York’s swiss-cheese defense. The only question is whether the Jets can keep it close enough to cover the spread, and with the way they’ve been playing as of late, it’s something to keep an eye on. Remember, they gave the Patriots a real scare a few weeks back.

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