Our Saints vs Chargers prediction is that the score will be less than 41.
Visiting New Orleans (2-5) has lost five straight and is playing without starting quarterback Derek Carr. They are having trouble scoring and their defense has been dreadful since Week 4.
Los Angeles (3-3) is in its first year under new head coach Jim Harbaugh. Their offense has not yet clicked. However, its defense has kept the team in games and is the primary reason it is at .500.
Head-to-head, the Chargers have won 7 and lost 6.
Offshore Odds: Chargers Are Heavy Favorites Despite Shaky Offense
| Team | Spread | Money Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saints | +7 (-111) | +275 | O 41 (-110) |
| Chargers | -7 (-109) | -330 | U 41 (-110) |
Saints’ Fast Start Seems Like a Long Time Ago
In the season’s first two games, the Saints’ offense looked unstoppable scoring a combined 91 points in back-to-back blowout victories over the Panthers and Cowboys. Since that game, they have lost five straight.
They have been without starting quarterback Derek Carr who missed the last two weeks with an oblique injury. He is still nursing the injury and may return by Week 9. Rookie Spencer Rattler will start.
New Orleans could not keep up the pace they set when they posted 47 and 44 points against Carolina and Dallas respectively. But they have fallen flat and it started well before Carr was injured. They surrendered 51 to Tampa Bay in Week 6 and lost by 23 to the mediocre Broncos in Week 7.
Defensively, they have surrendered the most yards in the NFL. With the inexperienced Rattler under center, they had trouble scoring. Chris Olave, who had been out with a concussion, was a full go at practice.
Chargers’ Defense Is Carrying Them
Los Angeles’ statistics scream out their record of 3-3. Their offense is near the bottom of the league while their defense is near the top.
They have a star quarterback in Justin Herbert, but an overall pedestrian offense without big playmakers. Defensively, they have surrendered the fewest points in the league by a wide margin. Harbaugh’s teams hit hard and this is a transition year as they move on from the chaos of Brandon Staley to the more conventional, though intense, Harbaugh.
Los Angeles’ schedule is manageable and it is not out of the question for them to make it to 9-8 and secure a playoff spot. Star defensive lineman Joey Bosa is nursing a hip injury and is questionable. Tight end Hayden Hurst was limited in practice with a groin injury. Top receiver Ladd McConkey also has a hip issue.
Saints vs Chargers Prediction: New Orleans’ Scoring Woes Will Continue
The Saints will have trouble scoring. Harbaugh’s defense will pressure Rattler and force him into making mistakes. New Orleans’ defense has been horrific, but Herbert is limited in his options. He does not have the weapons he’s had in the past.
Shun the point spread and money line. Our Saints vs Chargers prediction is that the teams will score less than 41 points. Take the under.
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