With Week 1 in the books, it’s time now to look ahead to Week 2, and the intraconference battle between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Tennessee Titans. Both squads will be looking to improve on last week’s results after neither of the two managed to secure a victory during opening weekend.
Brandon Staley’s Chargers will hit the road after a heartbreaking home-opening defeat at the hands of the Miami Dolphins. On the other side, Tennessee fell just short of a fourth-quarter comeback when it traveled to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome to take on the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
Chargers vs Titans Odds
NFL odds used for this Los Angeles vs Tennessee preview were found at Caesars Sportsbook and are current as of September 13th at 11 AM ET.
- Moneyline: Chargers (-160) • Titans (+135)
- Spread: Chargers -3 (-110) • Titans +3 (-110)
- Total Points: Over 45 (-110) • Under 45 (-110)
- Implied Score: Chargers 24, Titans 21
Chargers vs Titans Predictions
Score Pick: Chargers 25, Titans 18
The Chargers put together an impressive performance during their Week 1 heavyweight battle against Miami. Despite the loss, Staley’s squad put forth a dominant offensive performance, scoring 34 points against a star-studded Dolphins’ defensive unit. It could be said that third-year quarterback Justin Herbert underperformed for his standards, however, he could be due for a bigger game against a weaker Titans’ secondary. Herbert finished 23 of 33 for 228 yards and a touchdown.
One major storyline to follow this week is the health of star running back Austin Ekeler. Ekeler dominated Miami’s defense rushing for 117 yards and a touchdown on just 16 carries and tacking on four receptions for 47 yards through the air. The 28-year-old veteran is currently listed as questionable with an ankle injury.
Staley’s defense, and particularly the secondary, received an immediate reality check going up against one of the most dynamic receiving corps in the league. The unit did not respond well, allowing a combined 15 receptions for 293 yards between just Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. While not every team employs nearly the same amount of receiving talent as Miami, it will be key for the Charger’s stars, Derwin James and J.C. Jackson, to help lead the secondary better going forward.
On the other side, head coach Mike Vrabel will need much greater production out of his offense if the Titans want any chance of forcing an upset this weekend. Veteran quarterback, Ryan Tannehill, had a less-than-desirable start to the season finishing Sunday’s game 16 of 34 for 198 yards and three interceptions. The former Dolphins’ quarterback will look to replicate the success of his successor in South Florida, Tua Tagovailoa, who threw for 466 yards and three touchdowns against this LA secondary.
Star wideout DeAndre Hopkins could be a player to watch after how dominant Hill looked against the Chargers last week. Hopkins debuted for the Titans last week, finishing his first game with seven receptions for 63 yards. Additionally, it will be interesting to see how Derrick Henry bounces back after being kept at bay for most of the game against the Saints. The Chargers did a great job limiting Miami’s Raheem Mostert but could struggle to repeat that going up against the big and physical Henry.
Finally, Vrabel’s defense will look to build off an already positive start to the season when they host Hebert and the Los Angeles offense this weekend. Tennessee sacked the Saints’ Derek Carr four times on Sunday to go along with an interception in the second quarter. The Dolphins were able to pester Herbert with their pass rush, particularly to clinch the win on the final drive of the game. If Denico Autry and Arden Key can replicate their Week 1 performance, Herbert and the offensive line could run into trouble fast.
Chargers vs Titans Best Bets & Props
Chargers (-160)
Caesars Sportsbook • WAGER: 1.5 units
There’s no denying that the Chargers are the better team of the two on paper. While Ekeler’s availability will be key, LA is loaded with talent on both sides of the ball and should have no problem pulling away against a fairly mediocre Tennessee roster.
It is worth noting that the Titans did play the Chargers tough when these teams met last season. LA ended up winning the contest (17-14), but Vrabel’s squad definitely gave them a run for its money. However, judging from both team’s Week 1 performances, the Chargers seem to be a level above the Titans in terms of offensive efficiency and coherence. Apart from the glaring disparity in total yards between the two, the Chargers’ 5.7 yards per play to Tennessee’s 4.8 is a clear indicator that LA’s offense is slightly more advanced.
Of course, this sample size is as minuscule as can be which is why I recommend keeping the wager under two units for my NFL bet of the day.
Chargers 1H -2.5 (-110)
Caesars Sportsbook • WAGER: 2 units
The Titans’ offense looked abysmal to start the game in Week 1. Apart from a fumble recovery that instantly put the offense in field goal range, Tennessee managed to score on just two of the five other drives in the first half. It was alarming to see how poorly the offense performed in the red zone, and their inability to score touchdowns as a result.
On the other hand, Los Angeles managed to put together three scoring drives out of five total drives in the first half. Staley’s squad came out the gate hot, and I can’t see a reason why that wouldn’t be the case once again against the Titans this Sunday.
As with all Charger bets we will be discussing, Ekeler’s availability will be key when deciding how much to wager.
Chargers Over 23 (-154)
Caesars Sportsbook • WAGER: 1.5 units
Los Angeles enters Week 2 after scoring 34 points against a Super Bowl-contending defense. While the Titans did give Hebert and the offense some trouble last season, it appears that Staley’s squad is in a much better groove heading into this game.
The Chargers should have plenty of opportunities to score in this game with how poor the Titans have looked offensively. If LA’s defense can force Tannehill and the Tennessee offense to turn the ball over like they did last week, the Chargers will certainly have enough to capitalize on their mistakes.
Chargers vs Titans Same Game Parlay
Chargers vs Titans SGP (+265)
Caesars Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 unit
- Chargers -3 (-110)
- Justin Herbert: 2+ Passing Touchdowns (-170)
- Under 45 (-110)
Combining our game predictions with a Herbert touchdown prop, courtesy of , allows us to get some juiced odds on a three-leg same-game parlay.
Each of the three legs in this SGP coexists with one another fairly well. If Herbert is to throw two or more touchdowns in this contest, there is no reason to believe that the Chargers won’t cover the three-point spread. In the same breath, the game hitting the under doesn’t directly correlate with the other two legs, however, that’s not to say it’s outside of the realm of possibilities.
