The San Diego Chargers Current Odds
(as of July 8th)

Projected Games Won : 10.5
( over -145 | under +115)
5 to 1 : Win AFC Conference
9 to 1 : Win Super Bowl XLV

The Chargers are one of the few teams that regularly make post season hotel room reservations without a second thought. Division champions is a familiar t-shirt or hat in San Diego mainly due to a poor AFC West that hands them a yearly free ticket. But despite the 4 year streak of playoff visits, the Super Bowl has been out of reach for the Chargers for some time, and yet they are always heavy favorites.

This year it came to my surprise that San Diego was ranked as high as they are in top sports betting sites. I almost wonder if maybe, people are just used to seeing them in the post season and just overlooked their recent off-season.

Saying goodbye to Ladainian Tomlinson, (a move that was probably a year late) is understandable. The star was burning out and he had to go, but realistically there is no proven RB waiting in the wings  just yet. Sproles and rookie Ryan Matthews will man the fort for now, but for such a deep passing team blitz pick-up was an underrated trait that LT did in his sleep, and teams may send more heat Rivers way than in years past.

Jamal Williams was a center piece for the Bolts at nose tackle over most of the last decade, but after an early season injury he was sent packing for youth. Normally this is something we all know and except in the business of the NFL, but the fact that the division rival Broncos snatched him up might become interesting twice a year. Also, the losses of “what have you done for me lately”Antonio Cromartie seems harmless after his poor season, but the replacement is an open competition that looks a bit bleak. Overall the people coming and going don’t seem to be an even trade-off, rookies and second year players will be expected to step up.

The elephant in the room is a 6’5 230 lbs, wide receiver that constantly makes big plays for his quarterback. After a DUI back in January, Vincent Jackson has been suspended 3 games and is rumored to be on the trading block. For now, lets say everything works its way out and the top wide-out just misses the month of September in baby blue, returning for week 4 against the Cardinals. While being handed one of the easiest looking schedules in the NFL, the loss of Jackson for games against Jacksonville and at Seattle (wks 2 & 3) all of a sudden aren’t locks for this squad. The Chargers have always started slowly out of the gate and could not use a spoiler that early on in the season.

The main reason 10+ games is always such a simple task for the Chargers is their division can’t seem to put up a fight. But this year there are too many uncertainties including a slightly improved division and the loss of Vincent Jackson early make me a little on edge with laying money down with this team. Even with all the easy sportsbook payment methods these days I don’t think I’m going to hop on the Chargers bandwagon. In fact I’m leaning towards betting against  the Chargers for 10.5 wins at +115.

My early prediction would be the Chargers “Division Champs” but with a 9-7 or 10-5 record. If Vincent Jackson is traded I am definitely betting against this team to win less than 10.5 games.