LA Chargers schedule: Way-too-early 2021 game predictions
By Jason Reed
LA Chargers schedule prediction, Weeks 10-12:
Week 10 vs. Minnesota Vikings:
Biggest win of the year alert.
Look, I have gotten in some debates with fans of the Minnesota Vikings and let me tell you: they are passionate. Nobody calls me an idiot better than a Minnesotian; which is surprising, considering the Vikings had the same record as the Chargers last season and also have never won a Super Bowl… but I digress.
I respect the Vikings and I actually rate Kirk Cousins higher than most NFL pundits do. At the end of the day, though, you cannot tell me that signing a regressing veteran in Patrick Peterson is going to be a big difference for a defense that was terrible last year.
This is Justin Herbert’s best game of the season. The Vikings fall behind early and are forced to throw the ball, which helps reduce the threat of Dalvin Cook for the Chargers.
41-23 LA Chargers
Week 11 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
I am not very high on the Pittsburgh Steelers. The defense will keep them around .500 this season but I just cannot see how this offense is going to last an entire season. Big Ben is old, just had elbow surgery and was notably regressing as the year went along last season.
Quite frankly, he is the one holding him back.
They did not draft well in the first round (I am team never take a running back in the first 30 picks) and that offensive line is horrid. A regressing old quarterback behind a terrible offensive line? Philip Rivers was more talented in 2019 than Big Ben will be in 2021 and we saw how that went for the Chargers.
The Pittsburgh defense keeps this close on primetime and the Chargers win a frustrating game in overtime with a walk-off touchdown.
19-13 (OT), LA Chargers
Week 12 at Denver Broncos
You never win every single game that you are supposed to and after a hard-fought overtime victory on Sunday Night Football the Chargers drop a game against the Denver Broncos on the road.
By this time Teddy Bridgewater should be starting for Denver and he will game-manage his way, with a strong defensive effort and the home crowd behind him, to a narrow victory.
24-20, Denver Broncos
LA Chargers’ record thus far: 7-4