The Los Angeles Chargers are cursed. There are few alternatives to explain the infinite run of preternaturally poor luck the best-dressed team in football has experienced.
Justin Herbert’s third season has been derailed by poor coaching, roster construction, and a wide array of injuries. Rashawn Slater and Joey Bosa have missed extensive time in the trenches. Star receiver Keenan Allen has missed almost the entire season to date, and pivotal role players like Jalen Guyton and Joshua Palmer have missed time, too.
Now, star wide receiver Mike Williams and big-ticket signing J.C. Jackson have gone down. Williams suffered a high ankle sprain. Jackson’s season is over after rupturing his patellar tendon. Are the Chargers screwed?
Should we expect the Chargers to stay afloat in the AFC?
Los Angeles currently sits at 4-3 as they enter the bye week. Their schedule is no cakewalk, with three divisional games remaining and contests against the Los Angeles Rams, Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins, and San Francisco 49ers, who each create legitimate problems for this rocky roster.
FanDuel currently has them at +100 to win 10+ games. Here, an $100 bet would net $100 in profit if the Chargers were to help you out. They’d have to go at least 6-4 the rest of the way in order to convert.
Part of this is a value play. The opportunity to effectively double your money is lucrative. With minus odds, I wouldn’t recommend taking such a risk. However, there is value in banking on Herbert to pull a rabbit out of his hat. He’s struggling, but he isn’t broken. Herbert has been better than guys like Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan, and Russell Wilson.
Moving forward without Williams on offense means their other playmakers must step up. Allen has to stay healthy and give Herbert the confidence to take mental risks, knowing that the sure-handed threat will make himself available late in the play. Austin Ekeler will have to be put in space effectively and continue the receiving rampage he’s been on. Neither of those are incredibly impossible to accomplish.
Living in Joe Lombardi’s scheme means sacrificing vertical threats for simpler, quicker concepts. It sucks. But, it’s not impossible to find success in. With a quarterback that can extend plays and adequate enough playmaking around him, we can start to see some improvements.
Is Jackson’s injury lethal?
If the Chargers are going to make the playoffs, a wager with -143 odds on BetRivers, the burden falls on head coach Brandon Staley. Jackson signed a massive deal this offseason, and in part due to a poor schematic fit, has looked lost in blue and yellow. In fact, he’s been a liability. Jackson is not the number one corner Staley, or myself, expected him to be.
GET UP TO A $500 BONUS BET
If they are going to make the playoffs, the mastermind behind the Rams’ 2020 defense must improve his unit. Ranking 28th in defense is embarrassing, especially given the talent at his disposal. Asante Samuel Jr., Bryce Callahan, and Derwin James create an awesome toolbox at his disposal. If he’s the coach we thought he was, he’ll step up to the plate.
Given the state of his play, a Jackson injury won’t kill this Chargers team. A lack of adjustments will.
BASIC TIPS
Earlier, this article referenced a futures bet, taking the Chargers at +100 to surpass 9.5 wins. Futures are best made when one feels the odds are going to get shorter (win you less money) in the near future. For example, if Herbert plays well and Los Angeles dominates in Week 9, those odds can drop to -120, -140, etc. If you can stomach the short-term losses, waiting out a long-term futures bet can be lucrative.