We get our first taste of LA Chargers football on Saturday as the Bolts are scheduled for their first preseason game of the year against the Los Angeles Rams.
Fans that were in attendance for FanFest on Sunday got to see the Chargers scrimmage against themselves at SoFi Stadium. While that gave fans a taste of what is to come, preseason games against other teams will be more telling.
Remember: there are only three preseason games this season so it will be interesting to see how the Chargers handle the workload of the starters. Typically, the fourth preseason game is almost all backups, so we could see the starters get more than just one drive on Saturday against the Rams.
And yes, the return of Charger games also means the return of NFL betting.
Chargers vs. Rams odds for preseason Week 1:
According to WynnBET, the Chargers are favorited to win this preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams. In the first game of the Brandon Staley era, the Bolts are three-point favorites (-125) with a moneyline of -190.
For those unfamiliar, -190 odds means that you have to bet $190 to win an additional $100 ($290 total payout). The Rams, meanwhile, are underdogs at +145. That means if you bet $100 you would win an additional $145 ($245 total payout).
Chargers injury report vs. Rams preseason Week 1
Thus far there are no official injuries that are on the radar for the first preseason game although there are players to be wary of. New center Corey Linsley left the scrimmage early on Sunday with a non-contact injury while Kenneth Murray left with a knee injury.
Head coach Brandon Staley did say that the team was just being careful and that if it was a real game it would be a different story, so that is promising news.
Chargers vs. Rams prediction for preseason Week 1
If you are going to bet on the Chargers' first preseason game of the year I would stay away from the moneyline. A three-point line really is not all that much, especially for the preseason, so I would take the Chargers -3. -125 still is not great for a spread, but it is better than -190.
If you want to bet against the Chargers then avoid the spread and pick the Rams' moneyline to maximize your payout. I can assure you this game won't be decided by three points or less either way and I am betting on the Chargers.
Download the WynnBET app and make your picks here!
What channel is the Chargers first preseason game on?
All of the Chargers preseason games will be aired live on CB2 Los Angeles. CB2 LA is included in fuboTV, which is offering a free seven-day trial for first-time users.
Chargers vs. Rams live stream:
Charger fans can also watch the Chargers first preseason game of the year on the CBSN LA app.
Chargers next game and schedule:
After taking on the Los Angeles Rams the Chargers will play host to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, August 22. That will be a compelling game to watch as the 49ers have a quarterback battle brewing between Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance.
The Chargers then head up to Seattle to take on the Seahawks on Saturday, August 28. After a week break, the Chargers open up the 2021 season on the road against the Washington Football team on Sunday, September 12.