The Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Chargers will meet in Week 8 of the NFL season on Thursday night. Both teams took losses at home in Week 7 and will try to rebound at SoFi Stadium in this contest. Before the fun begins in Inglewood, continue reading to get my breakdown of this Thursday Night Football matchup, including my Vikings vs Chargers prediction.
Our Vikings vs Chargers Pick
- Pick: Chargers -3.5
- Confidence: ★★★☆☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Minnesota Vikings vs Los Angeles Chargers
- Date & Time: Thursday, October 23, 2025, 8:15 p.m. ET
- Venue: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
- Broadcast: Prime Video
Vikings vs Chargers Odds
| Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Chargers -3.5 | Chargers -185, Vikings +155 | 44.5 points |
Key Storylines
- Quarterback uncertainty for Minnesota: The Vikings may be forced into another start by Carson Wentz while first-round pick J.J. McCarthy remains sidelined with a high-ankle sprain. Wentz recently posted 313 passing yards but threw multiple interceptions and was under pressure repeatedly against the Philadelphia Eagles.
- Chargers offense still dangerous: Justin Herbert had 420 passing yards and three touchdowns in the Chargers’ Week 7 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden II had seven catches for 164 yards last week. That said, L.A.’s defense gave up 38 points and 401 yards to the Colts and their defense will need to be better this week.
- Short week + travel for Vikings: Minnesota is heading to the West Coast on a short turnaround after a loss and that may affect their preparation and readiness to compete in this game. The Chargers are at home but still have to contend with the quick turnaround.
- Offense vs defense: Minnesota’s defense is one of the better units in the red zone and on third downs. But the Vikings offense ranks toward the bottom in EPA/play and has been unable to have sustained success in recent weeks. The Chargers’ defense has slipped in yards allowed and has been getting off to slow starts. They will need to change that to get a win here.
Quarterback Play
The big question for Minnesota at quarterback is the consistency of Wentz or McCarthy. Wentz has five touchdown passes and four interceptions so far this year. Whichever quarterback gets the start will need to be better for the Vikings to win this game and compete for a playoff spot going forward.
Justin Herbert has played very well early in the year. He has over 1,900 passing yards through seven games with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions. He has found Keenan Allen for four touchdowns and their connection will be valuable against a Vikings defense that struggled to cover AJ Brown through the air last week.
Betting Trends
- The Chargers are 2-4-1 against the spread this season.
- Minnesota is 3-3 against the spread this year.
- Five of Minnesota’s six games have gone over their totals.
- The under is 4-3 in Chargers games this year.
Vikings vs Chargers Model Projection
Score Projection: Chargers 27 – Vikings 20
Win Probability: Chargers 62%, Vikings 38%
Final Thoughts
The Vikings have only played one true road game so far this season. They won that game by a field goal against the Bears. But that was in Week 1 with a healthy JJ McCarthy at quarterback. We should see the Chargers hand Minnesota their first loss in a real road game this year and I will lay the points with the Chargers on Thursday night.
