NFL Betting – Los Angeles Chargers Win Total - 2020

• Bolts expected to be a .500 team in 2020

• Tyrod Taylor considered a "servicable" quarterback in place of Philip Rivers but more a "placeholder" perhaps

• Loss of Melvin Gordon could hurt Chargers chances

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The Los Angeles Chargers never made it to the Super Bowl with Philip Rivers as their quarterback. In fact they’ve been to the postseason just twice in the last decade. For the first time since the 2005 season someone other than Rivers will be the club’s starting signal-caller as the Bolts move forward. Winning just five games last season was a sign changes had to be made. With Rivers gone the team drafted Justin Herbert with the sixth overall pick. Herbert is the future of the franchise, though the job apparently will go to Tyrod Taylor while Herbert develops. The Chargers have a bunch of talent, however quarterback play will determine if they go over their projected eight win total. 

Los Angeles Chargers Win Total Odds at BookMaker.eu 

Chargers Over 8 Wins -117 

Chargers Under 8 Wins -103 

2020 Los Angeles Chargers Offense Preview 

It’s going to be a different looking Chargers offense in 2020. That was obvious when they elected to let Rivers walk. Taylor has been a serviceable quarterback during his time in the NFL and has a history with Anthony Lynn from their days in Buffalo. The Bolts will be working toward a more run-based offense with both Taylor and Herbert being more nimble than Rivers ever was. They’ll need to be behind an offensive line that has holes. 

If you’re going to have a run-based offense you need to be able to run the football. That got a little tougher for the Bolts with the loss of Melvin Gordon. Gordon’s risky holdout last year enabled Austin Ekeler to shine. Ekeler ran for 557 yards with an additional 993 yards and eight touchdowns on 92 receptions. Justin Jackson and rookie Joshua Kelly could also get snaps 

With playmakers at the pass-catching spots don’t expect the Chargers to completely abandon the aerial attack. It’s just not going to be like it was when Rivers was slinging the ball all over the yard. Hunter Henry is a top-notch tight end while Keenan Allen and Mike Williams can stretch the field. They will eventually benefit being on the other end of darts from Herbert. An attempt was made to fortify the line by signing Bryan Bulaga and trading for Trai Turner. 

2020 Los Angeles Chargers Defense Preview 

This side of the football looks to be team’s strength. It had better be because we just don’t know about the offense at this point. We got used to watching the Bolts play shootouts, but all that’s changing. The numbers were encouraging last year. The Chargers ranked sixth allowing 313.1 yards per game and finished 14th surrendering 21.6 points per outing.  

The duo of Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram is one of the best at getting to the quarterback. Unfortunately that’s all the Bolts had last year. They combined for 18.5 of the team’s 30 sacks. Only four teams were worse in that department. The addition of Linval Joseph bolsters the interior line, which was a concern the last few seasons. Another issue was creating turnovers. The Chargers had the fewest takeaways and tied for the worst turnover margin a season ago. 

A healthy Derwin James solidifies a secondary that has a lot of options and the line is stronger with the addition of Joseph. How good the defense can be rests with the linebackers. Denzell Perryman is a gifted player who hasn’t fulfilled his potential. Rookie Kenneth Murray will get a chance to start and Drue Tranquill was solid last year. Until the LBs show they can perform better the group as a whole will have problems. 

2020 Los Angeles Chargers Schedule Analysis 

We’ll see early on just how good the Chargers defense is. They open on the road against No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow and the Bengals before a litmus test with the Super Bowl champ Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes. Back to back road games with Tom Brady and the Bucs and Drew Brees and the Saints appear to be the toughest stretch. The Bolts close the first half of the campaign against the Jets, Dolphins and Jags leading into the bye week. 

Four AFC West games are slated over the final seven weeks which will make or break the outcome of this futures bet. The Bolts are in the same spot as their rival Raiders and Broncos. All appear to be on even footing as they try to track down the Chiefs, something that isn’t likely to happen this year. Overall the schedule doesn’t look too daunting. However, I think there are some folks who are a lot higher on the Chargers than I am. 

Bet Los Angeles Chargers Win Total at BookMaker.eu 

The Chargers have plenty of good players to make things interesting. The questions, however, are at the most important position. Taylor can manage a game and he’s had limited success. There’s a reason why he’s in the position he’s in. Just like a few years ago in Cleveland when he kept the spot warm for Baker Mayfield he’ll do the same thing in LA. We won’t have another Ryan Leaf situation, but Herbert has a lot of work to do. Having a cannon for an arm won’t get it done. I like the Bolts and hope they do well, I’m just not betting on it. 

NFL Odds: Los Angeles Chargers UNDER 8 Wins 

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