New England Patriots (3-4) at Los Angeles Chargers (4-2)
Sunday, October 31, 4:05PM ET
I’ve been very impressed by the New England Patriots this season, all things considered. They’ve rolled with a rookie quarterback, a lack of offensive stars, and a rebuilt defense, and are still in the thick of things as we near the middle of the 2021 campaign.
While that may be the case, they aren’t going to survive a run-in with the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 8. Mac Jones will make some plays and keep things interesting, and the New England defense will make a few impressive stops. Keeping pace with Justin Herbert and Co. though simply isn’t in the cards for Bill Belichick’s bunch.
Coming off the bye, the Chargers will be ready to roll. Herbert will bounce back from an underwhelming Week 6 performance and light it up, throwing for at least 300 yards and three touchdowns, getting everyone involved along the way. The points will come early and often for Los Angeles in this one.
It’s not a blowout, but the Chargers win this one comfortably. The Patriots are still in the hunt, but this is another setback that could eventually cost themselves a trip to the postseason. Meanwhile, Los Angeles gets back on track and returns to the top of the AFC West.
Prediction: Chargers win 27-20 | Spread: Chargers (-6)