Los Angeles Chargers: Week 5 Scoring Analysis

The Chargers sit atop the AFC West entering Week 5, led by cannon-armed quarterback Justin Herbert and his exceptional receivers. Keenan Allen continues to be one of the most dependable wideouts in the NFL, and 5th-year wideout Mike Williams has emerged as one of Herbert’s favorite red zone targets. Week 5 has a big-time Cleveland Browns vs. Los Angeles Chargers matchup on the slate, pitting the Browns’ stout defensive line against the Chargers’ high-flying offense.

According to the NFL betting lines from BetMGM, the Chargers are 2.5 point favorites at home against the Browns. But, will the Chargers’ offense play like they did in the first half against the Raiders, or will Cleveland’s defense stifle the Chargers’ passing attack? Read on to see the full breakdown of Browns vs. Chargers in Week 5.

Don’t Forget About Austin Ekeler

Listed at 5′ 10″, Austin Ekeler sometimes gets lost among the giants on the gridiron. It’s easy to spot him, however, when he’s waltzing into the end zone as he did twice on Monday night against the Raiders. The Chargers tend to use Ekeler sparingly, but he’s incredibly efficient with his carries. Ekeler averaged 7.8 yards on just 15 touches in Week 4, adding another 28 yards through the air.

The Chargers trust rookie running back Larry Roundtree to pound the rock when Ekeler needs a break, allowing Ekeler to come back in the game when they need to pick up a third-down conversion or convert in the red zone. While Herbert and the receivers have rightfully gotten a lot of attention this season, the Chargers running game is effective as well.

The Browns’ Defense Presents a Stiff Challenge in Week 5

So far in the 2021 season, the Chargers haven’t faced a defense in the top half of the league in yards allowed per game. However, that will change in Week 5 when Los Angeles squares off against the Browns’ 2nd-ranked defense. Cleveland’s defense allows just 250 yards per game to the opposing offense and is surrendering just 16.8 points per game.

The Chargers will need to use every weapon in their offense to overcome the Browns’ defense in their Week 5 matchup. Luckily for Chargers fans, this team has the talent to beat anyone in the NFL. The Week 3 game against the Kansas City Chiefs proved that for certain.

Predicting the Los Angeles Chargers Offense in Week 5

In Week 4, the Browns shut down the Vikings running game and pressured the quarterback to the point that Minnesota’s offense could hardly move the ball. If the Los Angeles Chargers want to avoid a similar fate as the Vikings, they’ll have to scheme plays that allow Herbert to get the ball out quickly.

However, the Chargers have a far superior offensive line than the Vikings, so the Cleveland defense may not be able to get to Herbert as often as it got to Kirk Cousins. So if you think the Chargers will be one of the highest-scoring offenses in Week 5, check out the BetMGM King of the Weekend promo for a chance to win $50,000.