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Charlie Grant
Raiders vs. Chargers Point Spread: NFL Week 5 Odds, Prediction
Raider Nation got its first win on the board in the second Jon-Gruden era and now the club is a large underdog on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers. To get win No. 2, Oakland will have to contain Philip Rivers and LA’s precise offensive attack.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The visiting Raiders were getting 5.5 points at the open and that’s where the line stands midweek. Some opinions saw the Chargers favoured by as much as a touchdown but the consensus came around to 5.5-point spread following Oakland’s win against the Cleveland Browns.
The Raiders are 1-3 straight up but 2-2 against the spread at quarter pole of the NFL season. They’re also 0-6 ATS in their last six games following an outright win and 1-4 ATS in their last five matchups against the Chargers.
Los Angeles squeaked past the Jimmy Garoppolo-less 49ers 29-27 and failed to cover as a 10.5-point home favourite. The Chargers are 2-2 SU and 1-3 ATS after their first four games this season, and 4-10 ATS in their last 14 home games.
The total for this game opened at 53 and the Over/Under line moved up a half point to 53.5. The Chargers are one of only two teams in the league with a perfect 4-0 Over record this season. The Under, meanwhile, is 9-2 in the Raiders’ last 11 contests.
Oakland Raiders
Derek Carr was the star of the Raiders’ victory over the Browns. The fifth-year pro passed for 437 yards and would have had another 150 give or take if his receivers hadn’t dropped six passes.
The stopper unit continues to cause problems for Gruden’s squad. Only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are allowing more points per game than the Raiders at 30.8. Oakland’s defence is allowing 6.8 yards per play and 139.2 rushing yards per game.
Los Angeles Chargers
Special teams problems continue to haunt the Chargers. LA is converting a league-low 66.7 percent on extra point tries, and this comes on the heels of a season when the club used four different kickers.
The Bolts decided against cutting kicker Caleb Sturgis and instead cut their punter Drew Kaser. Veteran punter Donnie Jones was signed as the replacement this week. Part of the reason for the move was because Jones was Sturgis’ holder for three years (2015-17) when the two were teammates in Philadelphia.
Jones retired from the league after he won the Super Bowl with the Eagles last year, but Los Angeles talked the 38-year-old into returned to the league.
