Not a ton is expected of either the Las Vegas Raiders or Los Angeles Chargers entering 2024, but a fairly even matchup on Sunday will present both teams with an opportunity to write a positive first chapter in Week 1.
With Los Angeles' defense in need of serious improvement, find out why my Raiders vs. Chargers predictions and NFL picks are backing Vegas at +3.5 on Sunday, September 8.
Raiders vs Chargers prediction
My best bet
Raiders +3.5 (-125 at BetMGM)
My analysis
I can’t stress enough just how bad the Los Angeles Chargers defense was a season ago. They sat 24th in EPA per play, struggling most in the secondary ranking 26th in EPA per dropback.
Now they’ll enter Week 1 with some injury concerns before the season has even begun. Cornerback Asante Samuel was a limited participant in practice late in the week and is listed as questionable due to a shoulder injury, with depth player Tarheeb Still also joining him on the injury report.
The Chargers defensive line is expected to take another step back this season as Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack continue to decline in their later years, and with the questions in the secondary, it’s fair to be slightly optimistic about Gardner Minshew excelling under center for a Las Vegas Raiders team that boasts Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, and rookie tight end Brock Bowers.
Meanwhile, the Chargers offense has lost a great deal of important bodies, with Austin Ekeler, Keenan Allen, and Mike Williams all departing during the offseason. That’s going to leave Herbert throwing to Joshua Palmer as his lone trustworthy wideout, and WR Quentin Johnson left to step up his game as well.
The Raiders’ secondary improved last year, particularly when Antonio Pierce stepped in as the interim head coach, they’re the considerably stronger of the two defenses here. You may have to hold your nose as you bet on Minshew, but the Raiders warrant your bets at +3.5.
Raiders vs Chargers same-game parlay
Raiders moneyline
Gardner Minshew Over 215.5 passing yards
Jakobi Meyers Over 40.5 receiving yards
I’ll take things a step further and go with the Raiders to win this one, as Vegas will pick apart a defense that has not made enough improvements to earn our respect.
To exploit this mismatch, we’ll begin with Minshew to eclipse the total on his passing yards. The Chargers held opposing QBs under 215 yards just three times last season, and we should be able to get home safely there.
As for Meyers, we didn’t see a ton of him in preseason games, but the reports out of training camp were glowing. In his lone preseason game, he caught all three targets for 45 yards, which is promising given that he ended last season with over 40 yards in each of his last three starts, hauling in 12 passes for an average of 53 yards per contest.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Raiders vs Chargers odds
Raiders vs Chargers live odds
Raiders vs Chargers opening odds
- Spread: Las Vegas +3 | Los Angeles -3
- Moneyline: Las Vegas +130 | Los Angeles -160
- Over/Under: Over 40 | Under 40
Odds courtesy of BetMGM
Raiders vs Chargers spread and Over/Under analysis
- The Raiders have scored first in 10 of their last 17 games (+4.50 Units / 23% ROI).
- The Chargers have only hit the moneyline in six of their last 20 games (-11.25 Units / -36% ROI).
- Los Angeles has only cashed the game total Over in six of its last 20 games (-9.40 Units / -43% ROI).
Raiders vs Chargers betting trend to know
Las Vegas has hit the 3Q moneyline in three of its last four games (+3.90 Units / 83% ROI). Find more NFL betting trends for Raiders vs. Chargers.
Raiders vs Chargers game info
| Location: | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA |
| Date: | Sunday, 9-8, 2024 |
| Kickoff: | 4:05 p.m. ET |
| TV: | CBS |
Raiders vs Chargers latest injuries
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