Chargers vs. Jets matchups: How to watch, start time and prediction

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Breaking down how the Chargers (3-4) and the New York Jets (4-3) match up heading into their game Monday at 5:15 p.m. PST in East Rutherford, N.J. The game will be shown on ABC and ESPN.

Jets Jordan Whitehead (3), Craig James (31) and Tony Adams (22) celebrated three interceptions against the Eagles.

(Rich Schultz / Associated Press)

At home this season, the New York Jets have beaten Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts and had Patrick Mahomes scrambling until the final two minutes. Of course, they also lost to Mac Jones at MetLife Stadium, so there’s reason to still be a bit skeptical. In those victories over Buffalo and Philadelphia, the Jets’ defense generated eight takeaways, a haul that included three interceptions each of Allen and Hurts. So Justin Herbert will need to take care of the ball, something he has done well in 2023. He has been picked off four times, his interception percentage tied for sixth lowest in the league. In further accessing the challenge that awaits the Chargers, consider that the Jets, through seven games, have surrendered only two touchdowns — one to Denver and one to the New York Giants — after halftime. Scoring in the third and fourth quarters has been an issue for Herbert and this offense, the Chargers with only one second-half touchdown over their last four games. So this sets up as a potentially dicey pairing for a team still searching for offensive consistency and a running game that can take some of the burden off Herbert. If the score is tight at halftime, the second half could be even tighter for the Chargers.

Running back Breece Hall (20) has been the Jets’ best offensive weapon so far this season.

(Frank Franklin II / Associated Press)

New York has attempted seven extra-point kicks all season. Seven in seven games. Miami kicked 10 extra points in a Week 3 victory over Denver. That’s how much the Jets have struggled to find the end zone in the aftermath of Aaron Rodgers’ Achilles injury in their season opener. The team’s leading touchdown producer has been running back Breece Hall with three. Wide receiver Garrett Wilson (with two scoring catches) is the only other Jet with more than one touchdown. Despite the lack of scoring, Wilson is coming off consecutive impressive games during which he caught 15 passes for 190 yards. The Chargers have struggled to stop premium targets this season with Miami’s Tyreek Hill, Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson, Dallas’ CeeDee Lamb and Kansas City’s Travis Kelce all topping 115 yards against them. But what the Chargers have done so far is beat lesser quarterbacks, two of their three victories coming over rookies Aidan O’Connell (Las Vegas) and Tyson Bagent (Chicago). New York’s Zach Wilson is by pretty much every measure a lesser quarterback. He ranks 29th in yards per attempt (6.1) and 31st in completion percentage (58.3) and only five quarterbacks have been sacked more times.

Having joined the Chargers in early November of last year, Cameron Dicker has appeared in 17 regular-season games, the equivalent of one full season. His overall numbers: 30 of 32 on field goals (with a long of 55) and 41 of 41 on extra points. Veteran Greg Zuerlein is 16 of 17 on field goals and six of six on extra points this season for the Jets.

This is yet another game the Chargers can’t really afford to lose in a tight AFC, where 10 teams entered Week 9 with three or four wins. (The NFC had only six teams with three or four victories.) But traveling across the country to play on a Monday night sounds daunting for a team that already has lost at Tennessee and Kansas City and survived in Minnesota with a last-second end-zone interception. JETS 17, CHARGERS 16

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