Chargers vs. Jets: Monday Night Football picks, odds, more for Week 9

This week’s Monday Night Football matchup features two of the NFL’s more interesting teams as the Los Angeles Chargers (-3.5) take on the New York Jets (+3.5) in the Week 9 finale.

The Chargers sit at 3-4 following a 30-13 win over the Bears last week. As has been the case with them for the past few years, the team has been plagued with injuries, an up-and-down offense, and a below average defense. However, quarterback Justin Herbert continues to be a stud (298 passing yards, three touchdowns last week), while the team recently got star running back Austin Ekeler back in their lineup last week following an injury he suffered earlier in the year. Against Chicago, Ekeler recorded 29 rushing yards, 94 receiving yards, and one touchdown. Despite having a losing record, the Chargers clearly have the pieces to be a playoff team this season.

On the other hand, the Jets sit at a surprising 4-3 record heading into Week 9. After losing quarterback Aaron Rodgers to injury in the first few plays of their Week 1 game, many thought that the Jets would be done for the year. However, backup quarterback Zach Wilson has done enough to keep his offense afloat while the New York defense has been among the league’s best. The Jets are shockingly entering MNF riding a three-game winning streak, with wins over the Broncos, Eagles, and Jets.

How to watch Chargers vs. Jets

Date: Monday, November 6

Where: MetLife Stadium

Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. ET

TV channel: ESPN/ABC

Live stream: ESPN apps, Watch ESPN via desktop, ABC apps

Odds and predictions for Chargers vs. Jets

Point spread: Chargers -3.5
O/U: 39.5
Moneyline: Chargers -180, Jets +150

Pick against the spread

The Jets are always a hard team to predict — will their defense match up well against Los Angeles? Will Zach Wilson have an above-the-line game? It’s hard to know for sure. But the Jets’ recent success is hard to ignore, while the Chargers have lost two of their last three games. The Chargers have more talent on paper, but I like the Jets to keep the score within a field goal. They might not win Monday night, but New York looks to put up a fight.

The pick: Jets +3.5

Point total

The Chargers have Justin Herbert at quarterback and a lot of talent surrounding him. But the Jets’ defense has played well against high-flying offenses this season such as the Bills (held to 16 points), Chiefs (held to 23 points), and Eagles (held to 14 points). And LA hasn’t looked great against good defenses like Dallas and Kansas City, putting up only 17 points each in their games against the Cowboys and Chiefs. I fully expect the Jets to drag the Chargers into a fairly low-scoring game on Monday.

The pick: Under 39.5

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.