Reeling Chargers surprisingly favored over Vikings due to J.J. McCarthy injury news

We admittedly have to squint pretty hard, but there are reasons for optimism with the Los Angeles Chargers in the wake of Sunday's disastrous loss.

It's a short week with a game Thursday, so less time for moping. The all-gold, eyesore uniforms are gone, to be replaced this week by all-navy blue throwbacks from the early 2000s era of Hall-of-Famer LaDainian Tomlinson. And, mostly, the beleaguered defense gets to face a backup quarterback when the Minnesota Vikings come to town.

After the hideous performance against the Indianapolis Colts, it's difficult to fathom why the reeling Chargers would be favored against anybody. Since a 3-0 start, the Bolts have lost three of four with the only win on a last-second field goal to beat the 1-6 Miami Dolphins. Sunday against the Colts, Jesse Minter's defense allowed points on six of the first seven Indy possession to fall in a 20-point halftime hole in the eventual 38-24 loss.

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The Vikings, however, aren't in much better shape. They enter Thursday night's game 3-3 and fresh off a home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Vikings will again start veteran quarterback Carson Wentz as starter J.J. McCarthy still isn't recovered from a sprained ankle suffered in Week 2.

"It's a short week and I don't expect J.J. McCarthy to play against the Chargers," Schefter said Monday morning on ESPN. "It looks like Wentz gets another start."

And now you know why the Chargers are favored by 3 points.

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McCarthy led the Vikings to a Week 1 comeback win over the Chicago Bears. Wentz, with his sixth team in 10 years, is 2-2 as a starter this season and threw two costly interceptions in the loss to Philly.

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LaDainian Tomlinson is lifted into the air by his Chargers' teammates after scoring his 30th of the season in 2006. | Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY, USA TODAY via Imagn Content Services, LLC

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