The Los Angeles Chargers and New Orleans Saints meet on Sunday, following Week 7 losses for both teams.
Odds show the Chargers as favorites, largely because the Saints have unrest at the quarterback position. Rookie Spencer Rattler will start for a third consecutive week following Derek Carr’s injury. Last year’s rookie quarterback, Jake Haener, will lurk as the understudy. Few quarterbacks drafted in the fifth round (like Rattler) or those drafted in the fourth round (like Haener) acclimate quickly (or ever) to the NFL.
But while the Saints are on a five-game losing streak, they do rank fifth in red zone scoring percentage since Carr went down.
Jim Harbaugh would love his team to be the “Michigan of SoCal,” and the Chargers running attack is living up to that aspiration. The offense averages 116 yards per game on the ground, 20 yards more than last season. Still, the Chargers often get flummoxed in the red zone; the Bolts are -12 in expected points from rushing.
A great kicker is a wonderful weapon, but wins in this league are forged through celebrations in the end zone. Harbaugh’s team has scored only nine touchdowns in six games. While the Chargers are doing an excellent job holding onto the ball (only four turnovers, ranking third in the NFL), too often they settle for three rather than six, seven or eight.
The outcome of this game may come down to the fundamentals and special teams. The Chargers have been penalized for the third-fewest yards in the league, while the Saints are the second-worst punting and eighth-worst punt coverage team.
All odds from BetMGM. Looking for NFL tickets? Find them here.
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New Orleans Saints at Los Angeles Chargers odds
How to watch Saints vs. Chargers
- Venue: SoFi Stadium — Inglewood, Calif.
- Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
- TV: FOX
- Streaming: Fubo (try for free)
Expert picks for Saints vs. Chargers
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(Photo of Justin Herbert: Christian Petersen / Getty Images)
