Coming into week 10, the Los Angeles Chargers find themselves sitting at a pleasant 5-3 record coming off of a huge road victory against the Philadelphia Eagles. They host the 3-5 Minnesota Vikings, coming off a disappointing loss against the Baltimore Ravens. Will the Chargers be able to keep their momentum going and improve to 6-3?
The last time these two teams played was in 2019 where the Vikings won in a 39-10 rout.
With that being said, let’s take a look at the key matchups that will impact this game, as the Chargers look to get a big win this time around.
Justin Jefferson vs Chargers Secondary
Justin Jefferson has continued to prove that he’s one of the league’s fastest rising stars at the wideout position. The Vikings are coming in facing a banged-up Chargers secondary. The status for Michael Davis is still up in the air, who is dealing with a hamstring injury. The good news for the Chargers is that star rookie CB Asante Samuel Jr. is expected to return this week from a concussion suffered against the Patriots.
If the Chargers are going to win this game they have to win this matchup and not allow Justin Jefferson to break things wide open.
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Vikings Offensive Line vs Chargers Pass Rush
The Chargers pass rush has been a problem for them this season. Outside of superstar Joey Bosa, nobody on the Chargers has more than 16 pressures according to Pro Football Focus. Luckily for the Chargers, the Vikings have one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL. Four offensive linemen for the Vikings have given up 10+ Pressures this season. If the Chargers can create pressures from the supporting cast that could be a deciding factor in this game.
Kirk Cousins vs Justin Herbert
Quarterback is arguably the most important position in all of sports. It pays dividends when you have a quarterback that is playing at an Elite level. Kirk Cousins has completed 68.1% of his passes along with 16 TD and 2 INTs. Meanwhile, Justin Herbert is amongst the leaders in passing yards in the NFL along with 18 touchdown passes. If this game turns into a shootout, it could come down to which team gets the ball last, and more importantly, which QB plays the best.
Los Angeles Chargers Quarterback Justin Herbert Practicing Before Week 10 Matchup With The Minnesota Vikings. Photo Credit: Ty Nowell | LA Chargers