The Los Angeles Chargers Week 18 matchup against their AFC West division rivals, the Las Vegas Raiders, is one of the best games of the week and the easy choice for the NFL to move into Sunday night's flexible open schedule. The NFL left the last Sunday of the year as an open Sunday night game so that they can choose the game that means the most.

This year, it is virtually a playoff game, so the odds couldn't get any higher. Barring an unforeseen Indianapolis Colts loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the winner of Sunday night's Chargers-Raiders game will make the AFC playoffs and the loser will head into their offseason instead of the postseason.

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Chargers Week 18 Predictions

4. Justin Herbert will account for three touchdowns

Herbert has had two games in a row where he has not accounted for three of his team's touchdowns. This was after a streak of three straight games with three total touchdowns in each of them and he also had done the same in four in his last five. Herbert has done everything in his power to get his team to the playoffs and should get some dark-horse MVP votes but his biggest test is still ahead of him this week and he knows that. Herbert will not let his team down and come up clutch with two passing touchdowns and the game-winner on the ground.

Click here for the odds on the Chargers' game against the Raiders, courtesy of FanDuel.

3. Joey Bosa will have two sacks

Despite getting a sack in nine of the 15 games that he's has played in 2021, Bosa has yet to get to the quarterback twice in a game. That all changes this week when he sacks Derek Carr two times en route to a dominating defensive performance by the Pro-Bowler. Just like with Herbert, there are certain players on this team that need to step up and will the Chargers into the playoffs, and Bosa is one of them.

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2. Keenan Allen will have his best game of 2021

Much like with Bosa, Allen will save his best game of the 2021 season for his last one. On his way to 100 catches and 1,086 yards and six scores this season, Allen has had a few very good games to try and top. I picked the Week Eight matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles where Allen put up 104 receiving yards on 12 catches and the Chargers came away with the win. This time, in another Los Angeles victory, Allen will come up with ten catches for 124 yards and a score.

1. The Chargers will win the game by more than a touchdown

FanDuel Sportsbook currently has the Chargers as just three-point favorites to win the game on Sunday night. That is a little too generous for this Raiders team that is not nearly as talented as the Chargers. If you're going to make one bet for Week 18, this is the one to lay down. Despite there not being very much of a difference in the two teams' against-the-spread records (ATS) –the Chargers are 8-8 ATS and the Raiders are 7-9 ATS– the public has been putting most of its money on the Raiders. That has pushed the line from Chargers -5 all the way to Chargers -3, all because of the insane amount of money coming in on the Raiders. Take advantage of the Las Vegas fans buying down the price on the Chargers and run this ticket up to the booth.