Jets (0-9) at Chargers (2-7)
Sunday, 4:05 ET, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif.
TV: CBS
Danny Sheridan’s line: Chargers by 8
Jets’ keys to victory: Offensively, it all starts up front. If the line can take away LA edge rushers Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, it will allow for more opportunities. Defensively, New York needs to throw different coverage disguises and blitz in a variety of ways.
Chargers’ keys to victory: The Jets’ pass defense is among the league’s worst, allowing 281.8 yards per game, making it a favorable matchup for QB Justin Herbert. New York fares a little bit better against the run but has been susceptible to missed tackles, ranking worst in the NFL with 91. RB Kalen Ballage could exploit that with his physical style of running to take pressure off the passing game to create all the energy. Defensively, Los Angeles needs to start strong and finish strong. The Bolts have had no issue of slowing opposing offenses, but it’s exclusively been in the first half.
Matchup to watch: Jets head coach Adam Gase vs. Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn. While the Chargers have the more talented team, the coach hasn’t done any favors in recent weeks with the play calling, especially late in games. Gase’s future with the Jets seems to be nearing its end, but he might see this as a perfect opportunity to play spoiler, and the Chargers have fallen victim to that type of situation in the past.
Who wins? New York is looking to obtain the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft, while Los Angeles is playing for job security, both for players and for coaches. Look for Herbert to have a field day and the Chargers’ defense to force QB Sam Darnold into mistakes.
Chargers 27-16