Don’t look now, but the Las Vegas Raiders are starting to make some noise. After a thriller against the Seattle Seahawks in an offensive shootout, they now get the Los Angeles Chargers, who are as hobbled as it gets at this point in the season. Can the Raiders continue to build momentum for a late-season push? Nonetheless, onto our Chargers-Raiders prediction and picks.
NFL Odds: Chargers-Raiders Odds
Josh Jacobs Running Wild
The spark of the recent Raiders offensive turnaround has been the revitalization of their run game. Running back Josh Jacobs put the team on his back in the OT win against the Seahawks, running for 229 yards and two touchdowns. His last one was the game-winning run for 86 yards up the middle.
He is now poised for another huge outing, as the Raiders have a massive advantage on the ground against the Chargers’ 27th-ranked defensive run DVOA. In contrast, the Raiders rank top 10 in run DVOA, with their metrics vastly improving over the past six weeks.
Not only has their improved run game sparked their recent success, but the Raiders’ red zone regression has also finally spun toward their favor. Ranked last in red zone offensive efficiency in the first few weeks, their unfortunate luck has swung the other way with their run game past the 20.
Can the Raiders Defense Step Up?
While the Raiders offense has found life by leaning on the ground game, their defense has yet to show up in the worst way. Ranked last in defensive DVOA, last week’s outing did them no favors in the metrics, as the Seahawks moved the ball at will.
Lucky for Las Vegas, the Los Angeles offense has been free falling and struggling to maintain standard down success. Ever since quarterback Justin Herbert’s early-season injury, his lack of mobility has allowed opposing second levels to sit back more comfortably.
Worse yet for the Chargers offense, its run game has been abandoned and it now ranks near last in offensive run DVOA. With the Raiders’ shaky defense mainly needing to just respect the pass, this should allow more defensive success for this lackluster unit and allow its offense more opportunities to pull ahead in what has historically been a close game.
Final Chargers-Raiders Prediction & Pick
The Raiders and Chargers have had a recent history of playing tight games against each other, and this one should be no different. With the Chargers’ serious defensive issues stopping the run and unfortunate injury luck to key defenders, Jacobs should run wild. Tease the Raiders in what should be an exciting divisional showdown.
Final Chargers-Raiders Prediction: Tease Raiders to +8
