After five straight weeks of divisional contests on ‘Thursday Night Football’, an interconference matchup will kick off NFL Week 8 as the Los Angeles Chargers host the Minnesota Vikings. Both teams are coming off losses, with the Chargers (4-3) falling 38-24 to Indianapolis on Sunday, as L.A. has dropped three of its last four. Meanwhile, the Vikings (3-3) were defeated by Philadelphia, 28-22, in Week 7 as Minnesota has alternated wins and losses. Both teams played in primetime in both Weeks 1 and 2, and haven’t since then, with the Chargers going 2-0 and the Vikings going 1-1. With J.J. McCarthy (ankle) still recovering, Carson Wentz is set to start again for the Vikings. RB Aaron Jones (hamstring) has been activated off injured reserve and is set to play after missing the last four weeks.
Kickoff is at 8:15 p.m. ET from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. Minnesota leads the all-time series, 8-7, though the Chargers won the last matchup in 2023. The latest Vikings vs. Chargers odds have Los Angeles as the 3-point favorite. The over/under for total points is 44.5. Los Angeles is at -179 on the money line (risk $179 to win $100). Before making any Chargers vs. Vikings picks, be sure to see what the SportsLine projection model has to say.
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Now, the model has zeroed in on Minnesota vs. Los Angeles. You can head to SportsLine now to see its picks. Here are several NFL odds and betting lines for Chargers vs. Vikings:
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Vikings vs. Chargers spread |
Los Angeles -3 at DraftKings Sportsbook |
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Vikings vs. Chargers over/under |
44.5 points |
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Vikings vs. Chargers money line |
Los Angeles -179, Minnesota +150 |
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Vikings vs. Chargers picks |
See picks at SportsLine |
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Vikings vs. Chargers streaming |
Amazon Prime |
Why the Vikings can cover
Minnesota hangs its hat on defense, as it boasts a top-10 scoring unit on that side of the ball in addition to elite metrics in critical situations. The Vikings rank second in third-down defense and fourth in red-zone defense as nearly 70% of their defensive possessions don’t end up in them allowing points, which is the second-best mark in the league. A relentless pass rush is a big reason for that as Minnesota is third in hurry percentage and fourth in sack percentage.
On offense, Jordan Mason has averaged 70.5 rushing yards over his four starts — all coming in the last four games — and he has four touchdowns over this stretch. Out wide, Justin Jefferson continues to produce regardless of who is throwing him passes as he’s fourth in the league with 88 receiving yards per game this year. No. 2 wideout, Jordan Addison, has also hit the ground running since coming off his suspension with at least 114 receiving yards or a touchdown in all three of his games in 2025. See which team to back at SportsLine.
Why the Chargers can cover
Los Angeles has the league’s leading passer in Justin Herbert (1,913 yards), who is also on pace for a career-high of 452 rushing yards. Herbert leads the No. 3 passing attack in the NFL, and he has a bevy of options at his disposal. Keenan Allen, Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston all have at least 380 receiving yards, while L.A. found a steal in the fifth round of the draft in rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden II. The son of a former NFL receiver, Gadsden II had a 7-164-1 stat line on Sunday, with the yardage being the fourth-most by a rookie tight end since 1960.
The Chargers defense is getting healthier as nine-time Pro Bowler Khalil Mack returned last week after missing a month and notched his second sack of the season. Even with Mack missing most of the year, only one team has allowed fewer passing touchdowns than Los Angeles, and it’s a defense which may not be on the field that often on Thursday. That’s because Minnesota’s defense has logged lots of snaps as of late as the Vikings haven’t forced a turnover in three straight games. See which team to back at SportsLine.
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How to make Chargers vs. Vikings picks
For the NFL Week 8 ‘Thursday Night Football’ game of Vikings vs. Chargers, the model is leaning Over the total, projecting 45 total points. It also says one side of the spread hits over 50% of the time. See what it is at SportsLine.
Who wins Chargers vs. Vikings, and which side of the spread hits in over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Vikings vs. Chargers spread you need to jump, all from the model that is 43-28 on top-rated picks since 2024, and find out.
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