Los Angeles Chargers vs Minnesota Vikings Point Spread Picks

Minnesota has alternated wins and losses this season. After last week's 28-22 home loss against Philly, the road warrior Vikings (3-3 SU/ATS) are in search of a win to move back above .500. The Vikings are 6-1 ATS in their past seven games following an ATS loss and 5-1-1 ATS after totaling fewer than 90 yards rushing their previous game. Carson Wentz threw for 313 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. He will start again tonight as J.J. McCarthy recovers from an ankle injury. Los Angeles started the season with three wins over divisional opponents, but it has since lost three of its last four games. Justin Herbert leads the league with 1,913 passing yards, but it hasn't translated into many victories recently, and now he's facing the NFL's #7-ranked pass defense. The Chargers are on a 0-4 ATS skid while allowing 28.3 points per game. They managed only 54 yards on the ground on 16 carries while losing to Indianapolis. The Colts totaled 401 yards of offense. Minnesota has won 10 of 14 October games, and it is 8-1 ATS on Thursday games after a loss. The Chargers are 4-8 ATS in their past 12 October games and 1-8 ATS as home favorites of three or more points after allowing more than 35 points. Take the Vikings. 

Los Angeles could and should be 2-0, but the Chargers lost to Miami in the final two minutes and then lost 27-24 in overtime to Tennessee. Justin Herbert threw for 305 yards and two touchdowns, but he was sacked with a little more than two minutes left and the Chargers were forced to rely on Cameron Dicker's field goal to send it to overtime and then lose while blowing an 11-point lead. The good news is they go to Minnesota where the Vikings are 0-4 ATS their past four home games and they also could easily be 2-0 after losing two close games versus Tampa Bay and Philadelphia, but were done in by turnovers. The Vikings are 4-11 ATS their past 15 games against teams with losing records and 1-6-1 ATS overall dating to last season. The Chargers are 39-17-4 ATS their past 60 games as road underdogs, including 9-4 ATS since 2020. Minnesota leads the league with seven giveaways, six of them fumbles, and they signed Cam Akers to aid an offense that averages a paltry 34.5 rushing yards per game. Los Angeles is #5 in the NFL with 147.0 rushing yards per game and the Vikings allow 166.0 and that will be an important factor in this matchup. Take the Chargers as a Max Play.

Minnesota is well-coached under Mike Zimmer, off a 34-31 OT loss at Baltimore as a 7-point dog. They're never out of any game with this offense as they are ninth in the NFL in total yards and have a balanced attack behind QB Kirk Cousins (16 TDs, 2 INTs) and RB Dalvin Cook. The Vikings are 41-18 ATS after a loss, 21-9 ATS after a road loss, and 7-3 ATS as an underdog. They'll have success rushing the football against Los Angeles, who is saddled with the worst run defense in the NFL while getting gouged for 161.6 yards per game. That's one reason the Chargers are #29 defensively on third down (47.42%). The Chargers are 24-42 ATS at home against teams that average 235+ yards passing, as well as 2-11 ATS after gaining 400+ yards in their last game. Play Minnesota.