The Las Vegas Raiders (1-0) and Los Angeles Chargers (0-1) battle in NFL Week 2 today. Kickoff is set for 4:05 p.m. ET from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. The game will broadcast live on CBS.
The Chargers are 6.5-point favorites on the spread (Chargers -6.5; -115), with the over/under set at 43.5. Los Angeles is a -310 moneyline favorite while Las Vegas is priced as a +250 underdog.
Let's get into my Raiders vs Chargers prediction for today's AFC West showdown.
Raiders vs Chargers Predictions, Picks
- Raiders vs Chargers pick: Raiders Moneyline (+250)
My Raiders vs Chargers best bet is Las Vegas moneyline (+250), with the best price currently available at FanDuel. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NFL odds page.
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Raiders vs Chargers Odds
| Raiders Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Over/Under | Moneyline |
+6.5 -105 | 43.5 -110o / -110u | +250 |
| Chargers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Over/Under | Moneyline |
-6.5 -115 | 43.5 -110o / -110u | -310 |
Raiders vs Chargers Preview
Raiders
The Raiders actually looked like a competent, serious football operation last week, which is something I haven't seen from this franchise in a long time.
New head coach Klint Kubiak brought a distinct edge to the game plan, and their offensive line looks very well coached.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was a bit worse than I expected, forcing some bad interceptions against the lowly Dolphins, but he is more than capable of managing games when he is given clean pockets.
Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington Jr. looked dynamic out of the backfield, and while they don't feature household names at wide receiver, this group plays fast.
Add in the potential return of Brock Bowers, and this offense has teeth. And even if Bowers is out again, Michael Mayer is a more than serviceable substitute.
Chargers
It's only been a week, but I am out on the Chargers.
Sometimes you just have to trust the eye test, and the eye test told me that Los Angeles has very little team speed on defense. Aside from Derwin James in the secondary, the Bolts lack juice everywhere.
Justin Herbert played terribly against the Cardinals, the offensive line got smoked off the ball (yielding -0.13 yards before contact per rush), and they even gave up a blocked punt.
Without Ladd McConkey on the field to act as Herbert's safety valve, this offense looks flat and devoid of creativity after all the hype of Mike McDaniel at offensive coordinator.
Every season it seems like there is a heavily hyped team with a double-digit preseason win total that spectacularly misses the playoffs. That has "Chargers" written all over it this year.
Raiders vs Chargers Prediction
Historically, big home favorites that lose outright tend to bounce back the following week, but I don't think the Chargers have the personnel to flip the switch overnight.
The Chargers' interior offensive line is a disaster, and Las Vegas has the team speed to expose them.
I am taking a flyer on the Raiders to go on the road and win this game outright against what appears to be an overrated divisional opponent.
Pick: Raiders Moneyline (+250)
Raiders vs Chargers Betting Trends
Raiders vs Chargers Viewing Info: Channel, Start Time, Streaming
| Location: | SoFi Stadium |
| Date: | Sunday, Sept. 20 |
| Time: | 4:05 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming Options: | CBS |
