Vikings-Chargers Opening Line: Two Desperate 0-2 Teams Face Off in Week 3

The Vikings and Chargers had a combined record of 23-11 last season, with both teams earning a playoff berth before losing a close game in the opening round. The Vikings went 13-4 and won the NFC North, then lost to the Giants in heartbreaking fashion. The Chargers went 10-7 to secure a wild card spot, but they blew a 27-0 lead against the Jaguars to end their season.

When the two teams meet at U.S. Bank Stadium in Week 3, the collective sense of urgency — desperation, even — will be extremely high. That's because both squads are off to frustrating 0-2 starts after coming into this season with high expectations.

The Vikings' 0-2 start has been well chronicled in this space. Despite having seven turnovers to one takeaway thus far, their point differential is just -9. This is a team that could easily be 2-0, and a team that still believes it can be great if the fumbling issue gets fixed.

The Chargers are in a similar boat. They're 0-2 with an even smaller point differential of -5 after losing 36-34 to the Dolphins in Week 1 and 27-24 in overtime to the Titans on Sunday. Brandon Staley's team took an early 11-0 lead against Tennessee but was unable to hold on.

Two games into the season, the Chargers are fourth in the league in total offense and sixth in scoring offense. They haven't turned the ball over once. It's just been a major struggle on defense, where LA ranks 30th in opponent points per game and 32nd in opponent yards per game, largely due to surrendering 36 points and 536 yards to Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and the Dolphins in the opener.

This Vikings-Chargers matchup figures to be plenty of fun. It features two explosive offenses and two struggling defenses, with intense stakes because starting 0-3 is an extremely difficult hole to climb out of. As of Monday, this one has opened as basically a pick'em from a betting standpoint, with spreads at various sportsbooks ranging from Vikings -1 to Chargers -1.5.

Expect plenty of points. The opening total of 54 is easily the highest of Week 3 right now; it's the only game with an over/under of at least 50. The Chargers have a potent passing attack led by Justin Herbert, Keenan Allen, and Mike Williams. They were without star running back Austin Ekeler this weekend, but he reportedly has "a chance" to play against the Vikings.

Defensively, the Chargers' slow start doesn't change the fact that they have some big-time players who can wreck games. Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, Derwin James, and J.C. Jackson will all presumably play better than they have thus far. This game could feature Eric Kendricks making his return to Minnesota, but he missed Week 2 with a hamstring injury.

One team will leave this Sunday's game feeling rejuvenated and ready to start rolling. The other will leave with even more frustration and a daunting 0-3 record.

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