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The Las Vegas Raiders take on the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football. It’s time to continue our NFL odds series and make a Raiders-Chargers prediction and pick.
One of the best rivalries in all of football is set to return on Monday night. These two teams clearly don't like each other as the AFC West begins to heat up. Both teams are settling into their new stadiums, but their play seems to already be elite. The Raiders have taken the league by storm over the first three weeks, winning in all three of their games. They defeated the Ravens, Steelers, and Dolphins, who all have considerably good defenses. Derek Carr is playing very well and seems to be enjoying Jon Gruden's offense.
The Chargers are coming off a huge win over the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday. They are currently 2-1 after also defeating the Washington Football Team but losing in a close one to the Dallas Cowboys. Quarterback Justin Herbert seems to be elevating his game, and the Bolts' defense has found some weapons.
Here’s how the bookmakers have set the lines for Thursday’s matchup.
NFL Odds: Raiders-Chargers Odds
Las Vegas Raiders +3 (-104)
Los Angeles Chargers -3 (-116)
Over 52 points (-113)
Under 52 points (-107)
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Why The Raiders Could Cover
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The way the Raiders are playing right now, nothing can stop them. Carr is playing at an MVP level and could be considered the frontrunner at this point in the season. With the way this season has played out so far, it shows that the Raiders' strength of schedule through the first three weeks was considered “easy.” That really isn't the case. The Steelers, Ravens, and Dolphins all have great defenses. Carr pushed all the distractions aside and figured out what he needed to do. Carr is leading the league in passing yards right now with (1,203) and has six touchdowns to go with it. The reigning AFC Offensive Player of the Month will look to continue his success against the up-and-coming Chargers.
The Vegas defense has also stepped up this season. They haven't forced many turnovers, but they are playing sound defense and aren't on the field for very long (which is a good thing). The Chargers' offense is a threat to score at any time, so they will have to continue to do what they do to keep themselves in the game. This game will likely be a close one, so covering by a field goal shouldn't be an issue for the Raiders if they continue to play the way they have.
Why The Chargers Could Cover
Los Angeles is coming off a rare win against the mighty Chiefs. Kansas City has had the Bolts' number for years, but not last Sunday. The Chargers forced four turnovers and lit up the scoreboard in an extremely loud environment. Rookie defensive back Asante Samuel Jr. is fresh off winning Defensive Rookie of the Month and has been the spark for the Bolts' defense. He has picked off two passes and hasn't allowed a touchdown in over 100 snaps.
The Chargers are building a whole new culture, so those games in the past where they would blow fourth-quarter leads should be coming to an end. Justin Herbert is a phenom and doesn't seem to get fazed whatsoever. The Raiders' defense has come to play this year, so it will take another good performance from Herbert to get the job done Monday night. This matchup has the potential to be a high-scoring affair, so taking the Chargers to cover is a decent pick. Keenan Allen and Mike Williams are proving to be one of the league's top WR duos after taking over in the first three games. If the Herbert-Allen-Williams connection stays intact, they should have no issue scoring touchdowns, regardless of who they are facing.
Final Raiders-Chargers Prediction & Pick
With the way the Raiders are playing right now, I really like them at +3. They are getting the job done and playing very well as a whole. There is no more rust from coach Gruden and he seems to figure out the game plan to win. It's always a back-and-forth battle when these two squads meet, and that will likely be the case once again. Seemingly very Chargers game over the last few years has come down to the final minutes of the fourth quarter. I don't expect the Raiders to lose by more than a field goal.
Final Pick: Raiders +3
