Los Angeles Chargers (7-3) at Jacksonville (5-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS.
Against the spread: Chargers 4-5-1, Jaguars 4-5.
Series record: Chargers lead 9-4.
Last meeting: Jaguars beat the Chargers on Jan. 14, 2023, in Jacksonville, Florida.
Last week: Chargers beat the Steelers 25-10; Jaguars lost 36-29 at the Texans.
Chargers offense: overall (8), rush (10), pass (7), scoring (13t).
Chargers defense: overall (4), rush (13), pass (5), scoring (8).
Jaguars offense: overall (19), rush (14), pass (19), scoring (18).
Jaguars defense: overall (23), rush (5), pass (28), scoring (21t).
Turnover differential: Chargers minus-1; Jaguars plus-8.
OLB Odafe Oweh. He has four sacks in five games since being acquired in a trade with Baltimore in early October. Oweh, 26, has helped the Chargers' pass rush get back on track and now they face a banged-up Jacksonville offensive line that has allowed 20 sacks in its last four games.
DE Josh Hines-Allen. He needs half a sack to take sole possession of the franchise record. Allen notched No. 55 with an overtime takedown of the Raiders' Geno Smith two weeks ago but was stonewalled against Houston rookie Aireontae Ersery last week. He currently shares the mark with Tony Brackens.
Chargers TE Oronde Gadsden II vs. Jacksonville’s porous defense. The Jaguars have allowed 39 receptions for 467 yards and seven touchdowns to tight ends in their last six games. Gadsden ranks seventh in the NFL among tight ends with 466 yards receiving.
Chargers: WR Quentin Johnston (shin), RT Bobby Hart (knee), FB Scott Matlock (chest), S Elijah Molden (knee) and CB Tarheeb Still (knee) are questionable for the game.
Jaguars: RT Anton Harrison (knee, ankle), CB Jourdan Lewis (neck), TE Hunter Long (hip, knee) and TE Brenton Strange (hip) are out. WR Brian Thomas (ankle) is questionable but expected back after missing last week’s game.
The Jaguars have consecutive wins against the Chargers for the first time in series history. Jacksonville beat Justin Herbert and the Chargers 38-10 in Los Angeles in 2022 and then rallied from a 27-0 deficit later that season to pull out a wild-card game 31-30 in Jacksonville.
The Chargers have won three in a row and four of five. ... Herbert passed Andrew Luck last week for the fourth-most yards passing by a player in his first six NFL seasons. Herbert has 23,703. He's one of six QBs with an active streak of 15 consecutive games with at least one TD pass. ... RB Kimani Vidal is coming off his third game with at least 100 yards from scrimmage. ... McConkey is looking for his sixth consecutive game with at least 50 yards receiving. ... WR Keenan Allen had five catches for 41 yards and two TDs in his last game against Jacksonville. He also became the Chargers' career receptions leader last week with 956, one more than Antonio Gates. ... LB Khalil Mack is one of two players (along with Pro Football Hall of Famer Kevin Greene) since 1982 with at least 35 sacks with three teams. He had 40½ with Oakland, 36 with Chicago and now 35 with the Chargers. ... LB Tuli Tuipulotu has a sack in three consecutive games. ... Jacksonville has lost three of four and is coming off the biggest collapse in franchise history, blowing a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter at Houston. ... The Jags are tied for second in the league with 17 takeaways. They are 5-2 this season when they force at least one turnover. ... RB Travis Etienne has 50 or more yards from scrimmage in 11 consecutive games. He's one of five NFL players with such an active streak. ... Newly acquired WR Jakobi Myers led the team with 41 yards receiving in his first game last week. ... LB Devin Lloyd had seven tackles and an interception in his last game against the Chargers. ... CB Greg Newsome, brought over in a trade with Cleveland last month, tied his season high with seven tackles last week. ... Cam Little has made 12 consecutive kicks since missing three of four. The second-year pro hit all three field-goal attempts against the Texans last week.
Jacksonville has struggled to create a pass rush and cover in the secondary, so roll with any of Herbert’s targets.
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