A couple of up-and-down teams kick off Week 8’s NFL action with the Los Angeles Chargers playing host to the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday Night Football.
Both teams are coming off losses and trending in the wrong direction on the defensive side of the ball.
Given LA’s disappointing slide in recent weeks, my early Vikings vs. Chargers predictions and NFL picks think the visitors can keep things close and cover the spread on Thursday, October 23.
Vikings vs Chargers predictions
Here are our early thoughts on the spread and total for this week’s game. We will have a full game preview (with a best bet and SGP) later in the week.
Early TNF spread pick: Vikings +3
The Los Angeles Chargers aren’t just struggling on defense, but have been one of the worst units in the NFL.
Over their last three games against the Commanders, Dolphins, and Colts, with two games at home, they rank dead-last in the NFL in yards per play allowed while surrendering an average of 30.7 points per game.
Making matters worse is that their offensive line is getting slaughtered. They’ve allowed the second-most quarterback hits, and Justin Herbert has already been sacked 20 times, with 10 occurring in their last three games.
I expect the Minnesota Vikings' defensive line to have a significant advantage and be a pain in the ass for Herbert all night long. Minnesota ranks second in quarterback pressure rate, while also excelling on third down, where it sits second in the league.
The Vikings have a little bit of stability in their schedule for the first time in a while. It was probably unusual for them to play in consecutive games in Europe before their bye, followed by a tough matchup against a desperate Eagles team. They’ll be in a good flow now that they’re back to a regular pattern.
Due to who their head coach and quarterback are, the Chargers aren’t catching the heat that they should be after a 1-3 stretch that could easily be 0-4 if not for a last-second win over the pitiful Dolphins. A quick look at the stats shows that the Chargers just might not be very good. The Vikings haven’t lost consecutive games yet this season, so don’t be surprised if that pattern continues on Thursday night.
Early TNF total pick: Over 44.5
While the Chargers' defensive flaws are easy to point out, the Vikings defense is also underperforming. Over their last three games, they come in at 27th in yards per play allowed and have been especially bad against the pass, coming in at 31st in yards allowed per pass attempt in this span.
With the Chargers getting lit up through the air as well, keep in mind that likely Vikings starter Carson Wentz has thrown for over 300 yards in two of his last three starts.
Also favoring the Over are two pass-happy offenses with the teams coming in at fourth and fifth in passing play percentage in that three-game sample size.
Taking a look at some trends, the Over is heating up in Vikings’ games with it hitting in four straight games, while the Chargers are coming off back-to-back high-scoring games that, respectively, combined for 57 points vs. the Dolphins and 62 points vs. the Colts.
Vikings vs Chargers odds
- Vikings vs. Chargers spread: Chargers -3
- Vikings vs. Chargers moneyline: Vikings +135, Chargers -160
- Vikings vs. Chargers Over/Under: 44.5
How to watch Vikings vs Chargers
- Vikings vs. Chargers matchup
- Date: Thursday, October 23, 2025, 8:15 p.m. ET
- City: Inglewood, CA
- Venue: SoFi Stadium
- TV: Prime Video
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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