Betting Chargers-Jaguars against the spread in the 2023 NFL Wild Card round

The Jacksonville Jaguars will host the Los Angeles Chargers for the Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs. Kickoff from TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Fla. is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 14 while airing on NBC.

According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Chargers stand in as a 2.5-point road favorite. We’ll run through how to approach that spread in the analysis below.

ATS Pick: Chargers vs. Jaguars

The Chargers aren’t great against the run. In fact, they are downright bad in that category, allowing 5.4 yards per carry, which ranks last in the NFL. However, the Jaguars have a below-average rushing attack that isn’t set up to fully exploit that weakness. Instead, Jacksonville relies on QB Trevor Lawrence and the passing game, and the Chargers know how to stop that — ranking seventh in pass defense, 11th in sack rate, and seventh in opponent completion percentage.

Meanwhile, it appears the Chargers could find success in the passing game. Los Angeles ranks third in passing offense, and it should move the ball consistently against a Jaguars pass defense that ranks 28th. Even though they are on the road, the Chargers have the better quarterback, pass defense, and overall talent to pull out the victory.

The Pick: Chargers -2.5