Raiders vs. Chargers Point Spread: NFL Week 1 Odds, Prediction
Sunday’s Week 1 battle between the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers is a chance for revenge as the Raiders actually prevented the Chargers from making last year’s playoffs by beating them in the final week of the regular season. L.A. will look to reverse that result with a revamped roster in 2022.
The Chargers are 3-point home favourites on the NFL odds, while the total sits at 52.0.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
These AFC West rivals split a pair of games last season, with the home team coming out on top in each contest. As mentioned, Las Vegas’ 35-32 overtime win in Week 18 ended L.A.’s season, while the Raiders went on to lose to Cincinnati in the wild card round of the playoffs. In the two regular season meetings, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert combined to throw for 605 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. Raiders quarterback Derek Carr threw for 382 total yards, four touchdowns and one interception.
The Raiders are still only seeing about 40 per cent of bettors’ backing despite a perfect 4-0-0 preseason under new head coach Josh McDaniels, while the Chargers ironically went winless in the preseason. Roughly 78 per cent of bettors are taking the Over, which makes sense given three of the last four meetings between the teams finished above the number.
Las Vegas Raiders
Carr returns as the No. 1 QB after throwing for a career-high 4,804 passing yards (fifth-most in NFL), 23 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 2021. A favourite new target of Carr is sure to be trade acquisition Davante Adams, who was college teammates with Carr at Fresno State. Adams finished last season second in the NFL in receptions (123), third in receiving yards (1,553) and fifth in receiving touchdowns (11). The Raiders also signed elite pass rusher Chandler Jones, who finished with the second-most sacks on Arizona last season with 10.5.
McDaniels will have his work cut out for him when it comes to scoring in the red zone. Las Vegas ranked 29th in red zone scoring last year with a touchdown rate of 49.23 per cent. While running New England’s offence in 2021, McDaniels’ red zone touchdown rate was 63.08 per cent, seventh-best in the NFL. With an offensive-minded coach and an upgraded roster, the Raiders could be a dangerous team in 2022.
Los Angeles Chargers
There are big expectations for Herbert this year and he enters the season with the fourth-best odds to win NFL MVP at +705. Herbert had a massive sophomore season last year, throwing for 5,014 yards (second-best in NFL), 38 touchdowns (third-best) and 15 interceptions. Running back Austin Ekeler is also expected to have a big year after setting career-highs in rushing yards (911), rushing touchdowns (12) and receiving touchdowns (8).
Defence was an issue for the Chargers last season, especially in the final stretch of the year. Los Angeles dropped three of their last four games both straight up and against the spread in 2021, giving up an average of almost 37 points per game in those losses. Key upgrades include the signing of cornerback J.C. Jackson and trading for former Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack.
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