KANSAS CITY, MO – SEPTEMBER 26: Austin Ekeler #30 of the Los Angeles Chargers celebrates his second-quarter touchdown with Mike Williams #81 of the Los Angeles Chargers against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on September 26, 2021, in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Chargers and Chicago Bears are among the NFL teams that need to be on upset alert in Week 4.
The calendar is officially flipping to October and we are starting to get a better sense of what teams will be a factor in the NFL in 2021. There have been some surprises in the early season, such as strong showings from the Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos, as well as slip-ups from traditional powerhouses like the Pittsburgh Steelers, who were upset by the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3.
Let’s break down the top contenders to be upset during Week 4’s NFL action. All odds referenced in this story are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
3. NFL teams that should be on upset alert in Week 4 – Los Angeles Chargers
Week 3 was a big one for the Chargers, who made a statement by pulling off an upset of their own against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead. Los Angeles played aggressively under new head coach Brandon Staley, going for the kill with a touchdown in the final minute instead of settling for a field goal, a risk that paid off in a 30-24 win.
There will be a lot of accolades in the press for the Chargers this week, especially since they were a trendy pick to make noise in the AFC during the preseason. Sportsbooks have eaten up this narrative as well, establishing the Chargers as 3.5-point favorites at home against the 3-0 Raiders.
Divisional primetime games are never easy and Derek Carr has been one of the most effective passers in football this season, making Las Vegas a dangerous opponent for the Chargers to deal with on Monday night. If Los Angeles gets too caught up reading its press clippings after the Chiefs’ win they could get picked off at SoFi Stadium, which could be filled with plenty of Raiders fans since the Chargers have yet to establish a true home-field advantage in their new market yet.