Los Angeles Chargers vs. Las Vegas Raiders Odds, Prediction, & Pick
Chargers vs. Raiders Odds
| Chargers Odds | +3 |
| Raiders Odds | -3 |
| Over/Under | 34.5 |
| Date | Thu, Dec. 14 |
| Time | 8:15 p.m. |
| TV | Prime Video |
This evening, Week 15 of the NFL regular season will kickoff with a matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders. The Chargers will be without Keenan Allen and Justin Herbert due to injuries, making their life difficult on a short week. The Raiders will be missing multiple starting offensive linemen, leaving them at less than full strength as well.
Ahead of kickoff in this matchup, oddsmakers have priced the Raiders as 3-point favorites on the spread. The total for this contest is set at over/under 34.5 points.
Let’s take a deeper look at the matchup to see where NFL bettors can find value at sportsbooks in this contest.
Los Angeles Chargers
Easton Stick to make first NFL start
According to Daniel Popper, it has been 1,804 days since Easton Stick last started a non-exhibition football game. Stick, drafted in the 5th round in 2019, was a capable dual-threat at North Dakota State in 2018, posting a 28-to-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio as a passer, and adding another 677 rushing yards and 17 scores on the ground.
In his first taste of NFL action this season, Easton was not afraid of the moment – posting the 3rd-highest aDOT of any signal caller in Week 14. Nevertheless, his confidence did not translate to much success, ranking 21st in passer rating, 26th in EPA/play, and 21st in success rate among signal callers last weekend.
Life without Joey Bosa
Since Joey Bosa last played a full allotment of snaps for the Chargers in Week 10, Los Angeles’ defense ranks 14th in EPA/play and 20th in success rate. They have allowed no more than 24 points in any of their last four games, with each of those contests finishing with a game total of 43 points or fewer. Since Week 12, the Chargers have not had a game total finish with more than 31 combined points.
The Chargers have been particularly vulnerable against opposing rushing attacks in recent weeks, ranking 19th in EPA/play and 25th in success rate against the run since Week 11. This will be an area to watch on Thursday.
Las Vegas Raiders
Offensive line banged up heading into Week 15
Tonight, the Raiders will be without starting left tackle Kolton Miller and starting center Andre James.
Miller is one of the best left tackles in the NFL and has been exceptional as a pass blocker in 2023. Last week, the Raiders failed to score and had only 202 total yards offense with Miller off of the field. His backup, Thayer Munford Jr., allowed five quarterback pressures on only 37 pass blocking snaps for the afternoon.
James is one of the better centers in the league, grading significantly better than league average at his position as a run blocker and as a pass blocker. His backup, Dylan Parham, is a downgrade in pass protection and as a run blocker. He performed well in Week 14, not allowing a single quarterback pressure, but his larger body of work suggests that it is likely an outlier performance.
Running back Josh Jacobs has not practiced at all this week either. Though he is listed as questionable ahead of kickoff, he appears closer to doubtful as of this writing.
Raiders defense trending up
Since Week 9, Las Vegas has been one of the better defenses in the league, ranking 4th in EPA/play and 10th in success rate. This unit has been top-9 against the pass in terms of EPA/play and success rate, with their main deficiency being a 20th-ranked success rate against the run across their last five games.
On Thursday, this group gets another favorable test against Easton Stick, who has thrown only 25 career passes at the NFL level and played in the FCS during his collegiate career.
Chargers vs. Raiders – Picks & Predictions
Nearly all of the prevailing talking points this week have centered around the fact that the Chargers will be without Justin Herbert, Keenan Allen, and Joey Bosa tonight when they travel to play the Raiders – in many ways, making them seem DOA. However, Easton Stick provides a unique wrinkle to the Los Angeles offense, and his numbers from a small sample size in Week 14 suggest that the coaching staff trusts him enough to throw the ball downfield consistently when he is on the field.
On the other side of this matchup, the Raiders will be missing their top two offensive lineman and likely their starting running back. Las Vegas has not scored a point in five consecutive quarters and had only eight total first downs last weekend against the Vikings. Even in a favorable matchup against a beatable Los Angeles defense, this group is likely to struggle to score points.
The road favorites have enough talent to keep this contest competitive on Thursday, and they might be spunky enough to win this game outright.
PICK: Chargers +3 (-110, Fanatics Sportsbook)
Image Credit: Getty Images