2021 Los Angeles Chargers Team Preview, Odds, and Predictions

The Los Angeles Chargers finished last season improving on their 5-11 record from the previous season. Unfortunately, they didn’t improve much, finishing at 7-9 in the AFC West in 2020. The trouble started right from the beginning with QB Tyrod Taylor suffering a strange injury. After that moment rookie Justin Herbert took the helm.

Herbert had an incredible season and, by the end of it, was named the AP Rookie of the Year. Although the Chargers were unable to compete in the playoffs, they saw a bright future in Herbert.

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The Chargers have moved on without Head Coach Anthony Lynn, who was fired at the close of the season. Brandon Staley takes over as Head Coach and previously was the defensive coordinator for the LA Rams. This should bring some defensive prowess to a team that’s already set on offense.

With big hopes for their 2021 outing, the Los Angeles Chargers set a course for the playoffs. Now, what we’re all wondering is if there are any smart bets to place on the Chargers in 2021.

2021 Los Angeles Chargers Futures Betting Odds

Los Angeles Chargers Super Bowl Champion Odds: +3000

Los Angeles Chargers AFC Championship Odds: +1600

Los Angeles Chargers Win Totals Odds: Over 9 (-160) / Under 9 (+130)

Los Angeles Chargers AFC Champion Odds: +450

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The Chargers are in a strange position. They’re clearly the second-best team in the division but overshadowed by the Kansas City Chiefs. In order to get out of the shadow, they’ll have to take down Kansas City.

Unfortunately for them, we just don’t see that happening. Even with a talent like Justin Herbert at the helm, the Chiefs are nearly unbeatable. This year they’ll have to contend with a ticked-off Chiefs team as well.

At this point, we don’t see the Chargers being able to take the division, so leave that off the ticket. There is definitely a chance they could make the Wild Card, though. The AFC is becoming a deep conference, but the offense of the Chargers could separate them.

Our biggest concern for the Chargers is on defense. They allowed nearly 27 points a game while only averaging 21.6. It’s great they’ll have a defensive-minded head coach now, but can he implement his plan? We’ve yet to have a look at the Chargers, so we wouldn’t be surprised if this team misses the 2021 playoffs.

2021 Los Angeles Chargers Offseason Grade: C+

Key Additions: (CB, Asante Samuel Jr.), (OT, Rashawn Slater)

Key Departures: (CB, Casey Hayward), (LB, Malik Jefferson)

There weren’t many moves in the offseason aside from the draft for the Los Angeles Chargers. The good news is they’ve got a good young cornerback in Asante Samuel Jr. and were able to keep S Derwin James. It’s likely due to Brandon Staley trying to solidify his defense heading into the season. The only problem is, they lost two pieces of what made the defense relatively average.

Cornerback Casey Hayward and linebacker Malik Jefferson were bright spots of the defense. It’ll definitely be a hit to their coverage and pass rush in 2021. Now, there could be a scheme Staley has to remedy this.

However, until we see this team in action, we just won’t know. We would’ve liked to see some more moves in free agency from the Chargers, though.

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Los Angeles Chargers 2021 Preview

We have to consider the Chargers as a team in the process of building something bigger. We can’t head into 2021 believing they’ll contend for the AFC West. They’ll likely finish second in the division, just ahead of the Las Vegas Raiders.

We can expect this season to be a building block for them in the future, though. The Chargers have a great young quarterback and a strong head coach. Expect a lot from them in the future.

Los Angeles Chargers Futures Best Bets

An interesting bet, although risky, is to take the under on the win total. The rest of their futures bets are unreasonable, but the under is likely. This is a first-year head coach in a new system, along with a second-year quarterback. They have a tough schedule in front of them and will likely take some time before building momentum. We expect them to match their win total from the 2020 season.

Read our Titans team preview 2021 and Browns team preview 2021 next.