Subscribe
Follow Us
The final week of the NFL season is fast approaching, and with it comes some extremely important games. The Los Angeles Chargers will hit the road and take on the Las Vegas Raiders in what should be an amazing Sunday Night Football matchup. It's time to continue our NFL odds series and make a Chargers-Raiders prediction and pick.
These two teams are dead even with each other. The Chargers are 9-7 and are coming off a dominant victory, while the Raiders are also 9-7 and have won their last three games.
For more insight on the Chargers-Raiders matchup in Week 18, listen below:
This is going to be a great last game of the regular season for these two teams. Here are the Chargers-Raiders NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Chargers-Raiders Odds:
Los Angeles Chargers: -3 (-112)
Las Vegas Raiders: +3 (-108)
Over 48.5 (-110)
Under 48.5 (-110)
*Watch NFL games LIVE with fubo TV (click for free trial)*
Why The Chargers Could Cover The Spread
The Los Angeles Chargers have been having a very solid season. Through 16 games of the NFL season, they have amassed nine wins and only seven losses. This is a solid winning record for this team who will look to score another win on Sunday. The Chargers are coming off a dominant 21-point victory over the Denver Broncos. That could have been a tough match for LA, but they managed to make light work of Denver. The Chargers face another solid opponent this Sunday. The Las Vegas Raiders are not a team to be taken lightly. LA has a good shot at winning this game, all they have to do is the same thing they did last week. If the Chargers can step things up on Sunday then they could steal this win from the Raiders in Las Vegas.
Article Continues Below
Leading the way for this Chargers team is quarterback, Justin Herbert. Herbert has been having a very solid season and is coming off an impressive performance against the Broncos. In their win over Denver, Herbert went 22/31 and threw for nearly 240 yards and 2 touchdowns. This efficiency out of Herbert has been consistent nearly all season. On the season he has thrown for over 4,600 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. He has just slightly improved on his rookie season but has managed to put his team in positions to win games. Herbert has been a great leader for this team and will look to continue to do so on Sunday.
On the defensive side of things, the Chargers' defense ranks 23rd in the league in total yards allowed. LA allows opposing offenses over 360 yards of offense per game and nearly 27 points per game. The LA defense is the real reason that this team has struggled. Even though they have a very solid offense, a weak defense makes winning games extremely difficult. The Chargers did a good job at limiting Denver to only 13 points in their last game. However, the Raiders have a much better offense than the Broncos and will likely give the Chargers a tougher time. If LA wants to score this hugely important win then they need their defense to strep things up.
Why The Chargers Could Cover The Spread
The Las Vegas Raiders have also had a good season. Through 16 weeks of regular-season football, the Raiders have the same record as the Chargers with nine wins and seven losses. This Sunday Night Football matchup is huge for both teams. The Raiders have actually managed to win their last three games and will look to finish this season off on a four-game win streak. Las Vegas took down the Colts last week by three in a very impressive win. The Raiders will look to carry that same energy and momentum into a tough matchup. Las Vegas has shown that they can compete with the best teams in the league and will look to seal a big win on Sunday.
The leader and quarterback for this Raiders team is Derek Carr. Carr has been a very solid quarterback for this Las Vegas team and will look to step things up a notch on Sunday. The Raiders quarterback actually had a rather underwhelming performance against the Colts in their victory. Carr threw for 255 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions. In spite of this poor outing, the Raiders were still able to come out ahead. On the season, the Raiders vet has thrown for a career-high 4,600 yards. Beyond yardage, he has also thrown 21 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. While he may not be the best quarterback in the league, Derek Carr gives his team a shot at winning games week in and week out.
On the other side of the ball, the Raiders defense ranks 13th in the league in total yards allowed. Las Vegas allows only 330 yards of offense to opposing teams. However, they also allow over 25 points per game to opponents. The Raiders defense has been solid this year and has allowed this team to win some closer games. They will need to step things up on Sunday if they want to come out ahead.
Final Chargers-Raiders Prediction & Pick
This should be a great game. Both of these teams have a lot riding on their final match in the regular season. With that said, the Chargers probably have the edge here. LA has looked really good lately, and while Las Vegas has managed to win their last three games, they have only done so by razor-thin margins. The Chargers should be able to rise to the occasion in this crucial matchup. Pick the Chargers to win and cover and get ready for some great football.
FINAL CHARGERS-RAIDERS PICK: Los Angeles Chargers -3 (-112)
