Quarterbacks will gain most of the spotlight in Los Angeles Chargers vs. New England Patriots, but this matchup won't tell the whole story.
NFL MVP candidate Drake Maye leads New England into its stint as No. 2 playoff seed against the visiting Chargers and QB Justin Herbert.
Despite Maye's brilliant season, belief in the Patriots as a legit Super Bowl contender has wavered among pundits. The Chargers' last two postseason trips involved blowing a 27-point lead in a loss to the Jaguars in 2023 and a 32-12 loss to the Texans in 2024.
How can this game be exploited on the betting market?
Keep scrolling for NFL betting predictions and the best odds to wager for Patriots vs. Chargers.
Chargers vs. Patriots best bet
Under 46.5 • theScore Bet
Keep reading for a full breakdown of this Patriots-Chargers bet pick. Sign up to bet with theScore Bet promo code TSNEWS.
Chargers vs. Patriots betting odds
For this list, I'm using FanDuel Sportsbook odds for Patriots-Chargers, current as of Thursday at 9 a.m. ET.
I will not necessarily use these odds for finding the best bets on this NFC Wild Card game. (Learn why bettors should use multiple sportsbook apps.)
- Moneyline: Chargers (+166) • Patriots (-198)
- Spread (ATS): Chargers +3.5 (-110) • Patriots -3.5 (-110)
- Total: Over 46.5 (-104) • Under 46.5 (-118)
- Implied Point Totals Score: Patriots 25, Chargers 21.5
🏆 MORE: Super Bowl 60 betting odds
Chargers vs. Patriots predictions and betting angles
More importantly than analyzing betting trends, which are often deployed in betting punditry universally without context, bettors should consider what angles can affect the event action and follow a betting trail from that.
Here's how Patriots-Chargers bettors should break this game down.
Run games will slow pace
The Bolts' run-first offense will likely be their choice to attack New England, with talented rookie Omarion Hampton back from injury. The offensive line has been depleted with season-ending injuries to Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, but they'll want to keep Maye off the field as much as possible.
Maye has plenty of help in his own backfield with speedy rookie TreVeyon Henderson and veteran Rhamondre Stevenson, so both teams are capable of slowing things down. Hello, Under.
New England weather may factor into the result
Precipitation is in the early forecast, but these teams are built to handle these conditions (Justin Herbert's California experience aside).
🎫 MORE: Early NFL Wild Card lines to bet
Chargers vs. Patriots bet on the Over/Under total
Under 46.5 (-115) • theScore Bet
The juice isn't fantastic, but this is the easiest read to come from this game. Maye should do enough to give the Pats the edge, but the Chargers' typically slow-paced offense will help our cause.
Chargers vs. Patriots spread bet (ATS)
Patriots -3.5 (-110)
The homefield advantage will help Maye pass his first playoff test.
Chargers vs. Patriots moneyline bet to win
Pass.
Betting on an outright Chargers road win with anything worse than +200 juice doesn't pay well enough, and the Patriots getting the mirrored end of that isn't giving enough value, either.
Chargers vs. Patriots betting trends data
Again, these should not be considered gospel but can help inform betting decisions on the fringes.
- ATS record 2025: Chargers 8-8-1 • Patriots 11-5-1
- Over/Under record 2025: Chargers 6-10-1 • Patriots 11-6
📋 MORE: How sportsbooks set betting lines
Best sportsbook apps for Chargers vs. Patriots bets that may be available in your area
Even if sports betting is legal in your state, not all sportsbooks may be available to you. Here are some of the most popular options to look into:
- DraftKings
- FanDuel
- Fanatics
- BetMGM
- bet365
- Caesars
- theScore Bet
- Hard Rock Bet
- Betr
- BetRivers
🆓 MORE: How to use bonus bets when signing up for a sportsbook
MORE 2026 NFL PLAYOFFS:
- SN's expert predictions for NFL playoffs, Super Bowl 60
- Full NFL playoff schedule
- Updated NFL playoff bracket
- Wild-card picks, predictions
- NFL playoff power rankings, 1-14