Las Vegas Raiders vs Los Angeles Chargers Matchup

Keep reading to see our NFL week 18 Chargers vs Raiders pick and preview. In this article we will outline who will come away with the win and cover the spread.

The Chargers are the heavy favorite on the road as they take on the Raiders at 4:25 ET on Sunday, January 5th at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The Chargers' money line odds are -232, while the Raiders are at +193. The Chargers are favored by -5 points, and the over/under line is sitting at 41 points. This week 18 matchup is being televised on CBS.

Chargers vs. Raiders Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NFL
Teams: Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders
Where: Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium
Date: Sunday, January 5th
Betting Odds LAC -5, LAC -232 | LV +193 O/U 41

Chargers Preview:

At 10-6, the Chargers have locked up a playoff spot, but they can’t win the AFC West. They currently sit 6th in the AFC and 10th in our power rankings. After a 23-point loss to the Bucs in week 15, LA has bounced back with two straight wins, including a 33-point victory over the Patriots in week 17.

Against the spread, the Chargers are 11-4-1, with a +5.4 scoring margin. As favorites, they are 10-2 ATS, and they are 1-2-1 as underdogs. Their O/U record is 7-9, with the over hitting in three straight games.

Chargers Offense Breakdown

Justin Herbert has been on a roll heading into week 18, improving his passer rating in each of the last three games. In week 17, he threw for 281 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Patriots, completing 26 of 38 passes without an interception. Ladd McConkey led the receiving corps with 8 catches for 94 yards and 2 touchdowns, while J.K. Dobbins rushed for 76 yards on 19 carries.

We have the Chargers ranked 11th in our offensive power rankings. They are 12th in the NFL in scoring, averaging 23 points per game, and 13th in 3rd-down conversion rate at 39.6%. They rank 10th in red zone conversion percentage.

Chargers Team Defense

The Chargers' defense was dominant in their 40-7 win over the Patriots, allowing just 85 yards passing and holding New England to 20% on third down conversions. They also came away with four sacks and limited the Patriots to 96 yards rushing. Los Angeles' defense gave up just 13 completions and one touchdown in the passing game.

The Chargers' defense also won the tackles for loss battle by a margin of +6 and limited the Patriots to 181 total yards. New England finished with a yards per attempt of just 3.5 in the passing game.

Raiders Preview:

With a 4-12 record, the Raiders are currently on a two-game winning streak, which includes a 25-10 victory over the Saints in week 17. Las Vegas was favored by 1.5 points and covered the spread, improving their ATS record to 7-8-1. They have covered in two straight games. Their O/U record stands at 8-8, with the under hitting in five consecutive games.

Heading into week 18, the Raiders are 22nd in our power rankings and have no chance of making the playoffs. They are 0-5 in division games and 3-8 in conference play. In the AFC West, they sit in 4th place.

Raiders Offense Breakdown

Heading into week 18, the Raiders rank 31st in our offensive power rankings. They are 25th in the NFL in both points per game (18.1) and yards per game (305.6). Despite being 24th in rushing attempts, they are last in the league with 82.4 rushing yards per game. On 3rd down, they rank 25th with a conversion rate of 35.3%, but they are 5th in red zone conversion percentage.

Aidan O'Connell has been solid for the Raiders, posting a passer rating of 97 in week 17, with 242 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Saints. Ameer Abdullah led the team with 115 rushing yards on 20 carries, while Brock Bowers had 7 catches for 77 yards.

Raiders Team Defense

In their 25-10 win over the Saints, the Raiders' defense was excellent on third downs, allowing just a 10% conversion rate. They also forced two interceptions, held the Saints to 188 passing yards, and limited them to 55.6% completions. The Raiders' pass rush was effective, recording four sacks and coming out ahead in the quarterback hit differential.

The Raiders' run defense was also noteworthy, allowing just 81 yards on 13 attempts. Offensively, the Raiders finished with 269 total yards in the game.

Chargers vs Raiders Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last five road games, Los Angeles has averaged 23 points per game while allowing 13 . The team's record in this stretch was 3-2 while going 4-1 vs. the spread.
In their last five games at home, the Raiders have a straight up record of 1-4 while going 2-3 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 19 points per game in these contests.
Spanning across their last three games as the betting underdog, the Raiders have gone 1-1-1 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 0-3.
Going back to their previous ten games as the favorite, Los Angeles has an ATS mark of 8-2 while going 8-2 straight up.