Mac Jones and the New England Patriots (3-4) will head across the country to take on Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers (4-2) Sunday afternoon. Kickoff from SoFi Stadium will be at 4:05 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Patriots vs. Chargers odds and lines, and make our best NFL picks, predictions and bets.
The Patriots blew out the New York Jets in Week 7, winning 54-13 at home. Jones continues to play well and seems to improve by the week, while the defense has been stout all season. After Sunday’s scoring outburst, the Patriots are 11th in points and 16th in total yards.
The Chargers were off in Week 7, which was the perfect time for a bye week. In their last game, they were crushed by the Baltimore Ravens, 34-6, in by far their worst performance on either side of the ball. The defense has allowed 34 and 42 points in its last two games against the Ravens and Cleveland Browns, though the offense still ranks 13th in points despite their six-point performance against Baltimore.
Patriots at Chargers odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Saturday at 11:00 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Patriots +170 (bet $100 to win $170) | Chargers -210 (bet $210 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Patriots +4.5 (-115) | Chargers -4.5 (-105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 49.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
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Patriots at Chargers key injuries
Patriots
- WR Kendrick Bourne (shoulder) questionable
Chargers
- RB Austin Ekeler (hip) questionable
- WR Mike Williams (knee) probable
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Patriots at Chargers odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Chargers 27, Patriots 20
Money line
The Chargers are well-rested, playing at home and coming off a humbling loss to the Ravens. There’s no reason they shouldn’t be prepared for this game, with Herbert likely to get back on track after a shaky performance against Baltimore. One note of concern is RB Austin Ekeler (hip) didn’t practice all week and is questionable.
Bill Belichick has his defense playing well, but I like the CHARGERS (-210) to come away with a win at home against a Patriots team that doesn’t necessarily have an identity right now.
Against the spread
The Chargers are 4-2 against the spread this season, a few games better than the Patriots’ 3-4 ATS record. Sunday’s spread is surprisingly only 4.5 points, likely because of how impressive New England looked against a terrible Jets team.
Unless Belichick comes up with a game plan to completely throw off Herbert, I don’t see the CHARGERS -4.5 (-105) losing this game. They should win by at least a touchdown, being at home and coming off a bye week.
Over/Under
The Over record in Chargers games this season is just 1-5-0, the third-worst in the NFL. The Over is only 3-4 in Patriots games, too, so neither of these teams have played particularly high-scoring contests.
With Ekeler banged up, the Chargers may not be at full strength, either. Bet the UNDER 49.5 (-105) in this one.
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