Steve Starr
- The Los Angeles Chargers (10-7) are 1.5-point road favorites over the Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8)
- Doug Pederson’s club is on a five-game win streak while Brandon Staley’s team has victories in four of their past five contests
- Super Wild Card Weekend kicks off from TIAA Bank Field on Saturday, January 14 at 8:15pm ET on NBC
A 20-16 victory over Tennessee on Saturday gave Jacksonville its first AFC South division title since 2017. The Jaguars will now host a Chargers team that may be without a couple of stars after head coach Brandon Staley foolishly played his starters in a meaningless Week 18 game versus the Broncos.
The Saturday night showdown pits two of the most promising young quarterbacks in the NFL against each other in primetime with third-year starter Justin Herbert facing off against sophomore Trevor Lawrence. Before we check the odds on this matchup, here’s where you can find the best Super Bowl betting tips and the top betting sites for NFL football in 2022.
Jaguars vs Chargers
 | Spread | Money Line | Total Points |
| Los Angeles Chargers | -1.5 (-112) | -128 | Ov 47.5 (-110) |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | +1.5 (-108) | +108 | Un 47.5 (-110) |
Lawrence vs Herbert
Trevor Lawrence threw for a pedestrian 212 yards and a touchdown in Jacksonville’s 20-16 win over the Titans on Saturday. However, considering Travis Etienne’s ineffectiveness on the ground (17 yards), the 2021 No. 1 overall pick should be commended for playing turnover-free football against Mike Vrabel’s hard-nosed defense. According to ESPN, Lawrence ranks second in completion percentage (69.7%) and third in passer rating (104.6) since November began.
Justin Herbert had led his club to four consecutive victories going into last Sunday’s meaningless matchup against Denver. The 24-year-old somehow still played for over three quarters of the 31-28 loss. It was a baffling decision by Brandon Staley, who lost both pass rusher Joey Bosa and wide receiver Mike Williams to injuries during the game.
With the Ravens' loss, we're locked in to Trevor Lawrence vs. Justin Herbert on Super Wildcard Weekend. 🍿 pic.twitter.com/zuKH6EgSQo
— theScore (@theScore) January 8, 2023
Jags keep winning
Jacksonville smoked the Chargers 38-10 at SoFi Stadium in Week 3. The blowout may have made the Jaguars overconfident as they went on to lose five straight games before winning seven of their last nine contests to finish 9-8. It was a remarkable turnaround from a franchise that’s had a 4-29 record over the past two seasons and picked No. 1 overall in back to back years.
While Doug Pederson deserves a Coach of the Year nomination for picking up the pieces after the Urban Meyer disaster, Staley just might deserve to be fired. Could the Bolts give Sean Payton a call if the team falls to the Jags on Saturday night?
Jacksonville vs Los Angeles
Los Angeles is a 1.5-point road favorite over Jacksonville and the over-under is set at 47.5 points. The Chargers are third in passing yards per game (269.6) while the Jags rank tenth at 232.9. The difference is LA’s defense is a top-ten unit against the pass while the Jags D permits the fifth-most passing yards per contest (238.5).
So, it’s clear sailing ahead for Herbert, who has the most passing yards through a quarterback’s first three seasons in NFL history. While Doug Pederson may be better served dialing up run plays against a Bolts’ defense that is bottom-five against the run, allowing 145.8 yards per contest.
Doug Pederson is back in the playoffs. He leads the Jaguars to the postseason in his first year in Jacksonville
Doug has made the playoffs in 4 of his last 5 seasons pic.twitter.com/luIirAxTwl
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) January 8, 2023
Best Bet
This wager comes down to coaching. Doug Pederson is a Super Bowl winner while Brandon Staley continues to provide more reasons why he’s not the man to get the most out of Herbert’s promising career.
With Joey Bosa likely to miss the game, take the Jaguars to win outright on Saturday night.
Final Score Prediction: Jaguars 30, Chargers 27
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
