Chargers vs Raiders Prediction, Betting Odds, and Best Bet

The second half of Monday Night Football’s doubleheader has the Los Angeles Chargers traveling to face the Las Vegas Raiders in a primetime AFC West showdown. Both teams opened the season with wins, and with the early division race wide open, this matchup carries plenty of weight even though it’s early in the season. It’s games like this that teams look back on when they’re in the final stretch.

Game Details

The Chargers kicked off their season in style with a 27-21 win over the Chiefs in Brazil. Justin Herbert looked fairly sharp as he completed 25 of 34 passes for 318 yards and 3 TDs. He spread the ball around, but his best connection came with Quentin Johnston, who hauled in 5 catches for 79 yards and 2 TDs. Rookie running back Omarion Hampton came in with some balance with 48 rushing yards on 15 carries, while veteran Najee Harris chipped in as a complementary option.

Defensively, Los Angeles had trouble slowing Kansas City’s ground game. They gave up nearly 100 rushing yards, but they stiffened when it mattered. They were able to hold Patrick Mahomes to just a single passing touchdown while sacking him twice.

The Raiders also came out of Week 1 with a big road win of their own. They beat the Patriots 20-13 in Foxborough, where Geno Smith was excellent, throwing for 362 yards with a TD, though he did toss one pick. TE Brock Bowers kicked off the season in a big way with 103 receiving yards, while Jakobi Meyers added 97 yards of his own. Rookie RB Ashton Jeanty struggled on the ground with just 38 yards on 19 carries, though he did find the end zone once to lock in his first TD of his career.

Las Vegas’ defense gave up 287 yards to Pat’s Drake Maye, but they clamped down in the red zone and forced him into a poor completion rate under pressure. Still, the run defense and pass protection issues remain areas of concern heading into this matchup against a more polished Chargers offense.

Chargers and Raiders Odds

Bookmakers see this as a tight one, and it’s easy to see why. They have the Chargers listed as 3.5-point road favorites. The moneyline has Los Angeles at -192, while Las Vegas sits at +160. The total is set at 46.5 points, which hints at a moderate-scoring game where both offenses are expected to move the ball but not necessarily light up the scoreboard.

Game Breakdown

There’s no hiding it, the Chargers’ offense is built to stress defenses in multiple ways. Herbert is one of the league’s most efficient passers, and the stat that jumps off the page is Los Angeles’ ability to avoid turnovers. They gave the ball away just 8 times last season, the fewest in the league, and Herbert kept it clean in Week 1. That’s critical against a Raiders defense that rarely forces takeaways. Without turnovers to help swing momentum, Las Vegas could be in trouble against Herbert’s precision passing. They’re going to have to keep pressure on him and limit his options in the secondary.

On the other side of the field, the Raiders flashed their big-play potential in Week 1. They led the NFL with 9 completions of 20+ yards, showing Smith isn’t afraid to push the ball downfield. That type of game could test a Chargers defense that has struggled against scrambling QBs and has allowed chunk plays when coverage breaks down.

Still, the Raiders remain one-dimensional. Their rushing attack averaged just 2.3 yards per carry last week, and now they face a Chargers defense that surrendered the fewest rushing TDs in the NFL last season. If Jeanty and Zamir White can’t provide balance, Smith will be asked to carry the offense again.

Overall, the numbers undoubtedly lean toward LA. The Chargers went 9-0 last season when rushing for 100+ yards, and although they fell just short in Week 1 with 90 yards, Hampton showed enough to believe they can reach that threshold against a Raiders front that has struggled to close running lanes. On 3rd downs, the Chargers defense also holds a big edge, allowing just 35.6% conversions last year compared to the Raiders’ offense converting at only 34.8%. Of course, it’s a new season, but the core remains the same.

The Raiders’ best chance to pull this one off is to hit on explosive plays to Bowers and Meyers while limiting Herbert’s efficiency. But with Los Angeles’ offense more balanced and turnover-proof, it’s hard to see the Raiders sustaining enough drives to keep up.

Prediction and Best Pick

This MNF game has the makings of a competitive divisional game, but the Chargers have more ways to win. Herbert is operating at almost an elite level, Johnston has emerged as a reliable red zone threat, and the defense stiffens when it matters most. The Raiders showed grit in New England, and we can appreciate that, but without a run game and facing a team that rarely gives away possessions, their margin for error is slim.

• Chargers vs Raiders Prediction: Chargers 27, Raiders 20
• Best Bet: Chargers -3.5

Herbert’s efficiency and the Chargers’ ability to control the game flow should be enough to cover against a Raiders team that relies too heavily on chunk plays. We feel that the total leans slightly under at 46.5, but the spread is the best bet for this game.