San Diego @ Jacksonville preview
TIAA Bank Field
Last Meeting ( Dec 5, 2011 ) San Diego 38, Jacksonville 14
The San Diego Chargers attempt to go over the .500 mark for the first time this season when they visit the winless Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. San Diego has alternated wins and losses since beginning its first season under coach Mike McCoy with a setback against the Houston Texans. The Chargers are coming off a 19-9 victory over Indianapolis on Monday night as they limited the Colts to three field goals.
Jacksonville scored a moral victory last week as it covered the enormous 27-point spread in a 35-19 road loss to the undefeated Denver Broncos. Still, the Jaguars became the first team since the 1984 Houston Oilers to lose each of their first six games by 10 or more points. San Diego has won its last two meetings with Jacksonville by a combined 76-27 score.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Chargers -7.5. O/U: 45.5.
ABOUT THE CHARGERS (3-3): Philip Rivers needs 262 passing yards to join Dan Fouts (43,040) as the only quarterbacks in franchise history to reach the 30,000-yard plateau. Rivers quietly has produced this season as he is tied for second in the league with 14 touchdown passes and third with 1,847 yards. Eddie Royal's next touchdown reception will be his sixth of the season, a career high.
ABOUT THE JAGUARS (0-6): Justin Blackmon caught 14 passes for 190 yards against Denver and could be Chade Henne's main target again as Cecil Shorts III is questionable with a shoulder injury. "I'm very stable structurally," Shorts told the team's website. "My goal is definitely to get prepared like I'm playing." Henne threw for 300-plus yards for the 10th time in his career as he started last week in place of Blaine Gabbert (hamstring).
EXTRA POINTS
1. Jacksonville has been horrendous on the ground, rushing for a league-worst average of 60.5 yards per game.
2. The home team won each of the first four meetings before San Diego posted a 38-14 victory at Jacksonville on Dec. 5, 2011.
3. The Jaguars head to London to face the San Francisco 49ers next week.
PREDICTION: Chargers 31, Jaguars 17