Chargers vs. Jets Week 9: Bolts face 3rd primetime match up in 4 weeks

The Chargers and Jets could end up fighting out for the wildcard playoff spots after mediocre starts to the season so this matchup could prove pivotal.

The Chargers (3-4) and Jets (4-3) will meet this week in a matchup between two teams that are in the hunt of a wildcard playoff spot despite their preseason intentions of winning their divisions. As of writing this, the Chargers are still 3-point favorites, per DraftKings Sportsbook.

The reasons for each team hovering around .500 are very different. The Jets have been as advertised on defense but their offense is being held back because of a season ending injury to Aaron Rodgers in Week 1, whereas the Chargers have not lived up to expectations as it seems like only one side of the ball can play well in any given week. Justin Herbert and the offense have been struggling to find consistency, especially in the second half. The run game has fallen apart after a promising start.

The Jets have young stars in many positions: Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner at corner, Garrett Wilson at wide receiver and Quinnen Williams at defensive tackle. However, these elite players haven’t been able to drag their team to the top of the AFC playoff race mainly because of lackluster play at quarterback from former second overall pick Zach Wilson. Wilson has struggled to lead an offense that was designed for the future Hall of Famer Rodgers.

Brandon Staley’s Chargers would love to get back to even on the year and put some distance between themselves and the Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos in chase of the Kansas City Chiefs. Robert Salah’s Jets would like to put pressure on the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills above them in the AFC East. Both of these teams will likely be in the wildcard hunt later in the year, so this game could provide a crucial tiebreaker in the standings for the victor.

To see which team gets ends up with that lucrative advantage, tune in for this yet another Chargers’ prime time game when this match-up kicks off on Monday Night Football.