The Los Angeles Chargers opened up as a 5.5-point road favorite at Sportsbook over the Las Vegas Raiders in a Week 18 contest. The Over/Under total opened at 41.5. Both numbers have not moved.
We do have some history for this matchup from the season opener in L.A. where the Chargers (-3) posted a 22-10 win. The Over/Under was listed at 40.5 and went WAY low.
Looking ahead, the Chargers fly back and get ready for a Wild Card matchup on the road with either the Texans, Ravens or Steelers. The Raiders will be playing slots at Circus Circus and wondering what went wrong in 2024.
Los Angeles Chargers vs Las Vegas Raiders Odds Week 18
Los Angeles Chargers vs Las Vegas Raiders, Jan. 5, 4:25 pm ET
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Chargers | -5.5 (-120) | -250 | O41.5 (-105) |
| Las Vegas Raiders | +5.5 (-102) | +205 | U41.5 (-115) |
Odds as of Dec. 31 at FanDuel
Chargers vs Raiders Pick Week 18
Chargers -5.5 (-120) at Sportsbook
We all know that that Jim Harbaugh is a winner, but NO ONE expected him to take the Chargers from a sad sack 5-12 team to a 10/11 win team in his first season. STUNNING!
How has he done it? Mostly on the bazooka right arm of Justin Herbert. The Lightning Bolts started the season with two wins but quickly followed with two losses and headed into the bye week at 2-2. From that point, they have won eight of 12 straight up and covered nine. For those of us looking to open the wallet, that's a 75% cover rate baby.
Back to Herbert. Last week against the Patriots was a sample of this fabulous season. He completed 26 of 38 passes for 281 yards with three TDs and zero INTs. For the season, Justin has hit on 304 of 468 (65%) for 3,524 yards with 21 TDs and ONLY three INTs. Amazing when you compare that to last year's numbers, 20 TDs and seven INTs, that's quite an improvement.
And in the three years before that, Herbert threw 10, 15 and 10 INTs. So is Harbaugh the only reason? How about his old friend and offensive coordinator Greg Roman. He was at Stanford with Harbaugh and with him in San Francisco as well. Looks like this guy can coach 'em up.
Another factor that has allowed Herbert to be so dominant is a balanced attack and the return of J.K Dobbins. After missing four games, Dobbins returned and gobbled up 76 yards on 19 carries. Roman's offense had contributions from five other guys on the ground with a total of 37 running plays against 40 passes. That's called balance.
On the other side of the field, there's no balance and no real hope. If you're looking at the standings and saw that the Raiders won two games in a row, don't start shaking. They beat the Jaguars 19-14, a sad 4-12 team and then topped the Saints 25-10, a lousy 5-11 squad. NOT impressed.
Basically, L.A. is locked in at the No. 6 seed. Even if they lose and Denver wins, and both finish at 10-7, the Chargers would have the higher seed because they beat the Broncos twice this season. However, the seed will depend on the outcome of the AFC North that takes place on Saturday. If the Steelers win and the Ravens lose, Pittsburgh wears the crown. Any other outcome will result in the Steelers earning a wild card spot.
They can either earn the No. 5 or No. 6 seed. If the Steelers win (and Baltimore won), they would be locked into the No. 5 seed. If the Steelers lose and the Chargers beat the Raiders, the Bolts will claim the No. 5 seed in the AFC. No matter how you slice, gotta believe that Harbaugh will have all his guns blazing resulting in a Charger win and cover.
Chargers vs Raiders Betting Trends
- The Chargers have been MONEY in the bank covering eight of the last 10 (80%).
- The Chargers have gone OVER in six of their last eight games.
- The Raiders come into the season finale on an 0-5, OH & FIVE, negative spread perfecto.
