NFL picks: Experts predict Chargers vs. Jaguars playoff game
Much of Wild Card Weekend has matchups with obvious favorites and underdogs. Hardly anyone is picking the Skylar Thompson-led Miami Dolphins to upset the Buffalo Bills, and an overwhelming majority are picking the 13-4 San Francisco 49ers to roll through the Seattle Seahawks.
The Saturday night meeting of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Chargers is a different story.
Los Angeles is a slight favorite after finishing the regular season with the better record, but the Jaguars will have home field advantage at TIAA Bank Field. There’s also the 38-10 blowout that Jacksonville laid on the Chargers in September.
Experts are pretty evenly split on the rematch. Here’s a roundup of predictions of the primetime game in Duval (this will be updated until kickoff):
USA Today
Jarrett Bell: Jaguars (23-17)
Chris Bumbaca: Jaguars (21-20)
Nate Davis: Jaguars (27-23)
Safid Deen: Chargers (24-20)
Tyler Dragon: Chargers (24-20)
Lorenzo Reyes: Chargers (26-20)
Total: Three picking Jaguars, three picking Chargers
The Athletic
Zach Berman: Chargers
Michael-Shawn Dugar: Chargers
Larry Holder: Jaguars
Mark Kaboly: Jaguars
Josh Kendall: Chargers
Nick Kosmider: Jaguars
Austin Mock: Jaguars
Jay Morrison: Chargers
Tashan Reed: Jaguars
Ben Standig: Jaguars
Total: Six picking Jaguars, four picking Chargers
CBS Sports
Pete Prisco: Jaguars
Jason La Canfora: Jaguars
Will Brandon: Jaguars
Jared Dubin: Chargers
Ryan Wilson: Chargers
John Breech: Jaguars
Dave Richard: Jaguars
Jamey Eisenberg: Chargers
Total: Five picking Jaguars, three picking Chargers
NFL Network
Adam Rank: Jaguars (28-27)
Marcas Grant: Jaguars (23-20)
Colleen Wolfe: Chargers (26-23)
Kevin Patra: Chargers (24-21)
GPG: Jaguars (24-20)
Grant Gordon: Chargers (31-24)
Eric Edholm: Jaguars (24-21)
Marc Sessler: Jaguars (27-24)
Nick Shook: Chargers (26-24)
Total: Five picking Jaguars, five picking Chargers
