2016 San Diego Chargers Season Win Total Predictions

Posted by Jordan Walterss on Thursday,July 21, 2016 8:29, EDT in

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The San Diego Chargers weren’t sure if 2015 would be their final season in that city. It wasn’t, but the fans lost interest fairly early as the Bolts slipped to a 4-12 mark and last in the AFC West. It was the team’s worst record since the same 4-12 mark in 2003. So now coach Mike McCoy enters 2016 on the hot seat and this again could be the Chargers’ final season in San Diego. The team has a wins total of 7 in NFL betting lines.

Let’s Take a Closer at the 2016 San Diego Chargers Season Win Total Predictions

Total Win/Loss Odds Overview

San Diego was a solid enough 2-2 entering a Week 5 home game vs. Pittsburgh, which was without injured star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. However, 35-year- old backup quarterback Michael Vick drove the Steelers for two late touchdowns — including a walk-off one by running back Le’Veon Bell — that sunk San Diego in a season-long depression.

The Chargers will be improved, but are at least a year away in terms of talent on the roster in order to compete for a playoff spot in an AFC West Division dominated by talented defenses. San Diego has the best quarterback in the division in Philip Rivers and an improving young defense. But, they will still struggle to score points with an offensive line that's a problem area.

Why Betting On The Over?

As noted above, the Bolts have Rivers and with Peyton Manning having retired, he should be the division’s best QB. He was voted the Bolts MVP for the seventh season a year ago as he threw for 4,792 passing yards, the second-most in the NFL and the second-most in a season in team history. He came within 10 yards of matching Dan Fouts’ 1981 franchise record of 4,802 yards. Rivers enters this season as San Diego’s all-time leader in regular-season wins (92), consecutive starts (160), completions (3,462), completion percentage (64.8), touchdown passes (281) and passer rating (95.5).

The team should have two good receivers in Keenan Allen and new addition Travis Benjamin. A Week 8 kidney injury cut short what looked destined to be one of the greatest seasons ever by a wide receiver for Allen in 2015. His 67 catches through eight games were the third most in NFL history, and he was on pace for a 143 catch season. The former Brown Benjamin set career highs last season with 68 catches, 966 yards and five touchdown grabs last year. Rivers has already called the 5-10, 175-pound wideout the fastest player he’s ever thrown the ball to.

Why Betting On The Under?

That offensive line. Joe Barksdale was the only offensive linemen to start every game for the Chargers in 2015, playing a total of 1,050 snaps on offense, second only to Rivers (1,085). It’s the most snaps played in a single season by a San Diego offensive linemen since at least 2007. The Chargers used 24 different offensive line combinations in 2015, fourth-most in the NFL. Six different players lined up at left guard for the Bolts, five manned left tackle and right guard, four played right tackle and three snapped the ball to Rivers at center. The Chargers failed to consistently control the line of scrimmage on offense, and it’s the reason San Diego threw the ball 63 percent of the time last year.

What will Melvin Gordon do in Year 2 at running back? Gordon has had the start of training camp circled since he was placed on the reserve-injured list last December, and he’s coming off major knee surgery. Even though he led the Bolts with 641 yards, the former Doak Walker Award winner as college’s top running back knows everything he does will be put under a microscope. Few running backs in NFL history have been selected in the first round, played 14 games as a rookie, and failed to score a touchdown. Gordon was just the seventh player ever saddled with the ignominious feat, and none of the other six had more than 99 carries as a rookie.

On defense, the No. 3 overall selection in this year’s draft, Joey Bosa remains unsigned due to a contract dispute. The Ohio State product already missed mandatory minicamp and is penciled in to start at defensive end.