Oakland Raiders vs Los Angeles Chargers Betting Tips & Picks

Bill Williamson

November 8th, 2018

Url copied!

Quick Tips:

• Bet Chargers -9.5 over Raiders with 888Sport.
• Bet Chargers-Raiders under 50.5 with Karamba.
• Bet Chargers first-half winner at -250 with 888Sport.

Oakland Raiders Storylines

It keeps getting worse. Honestly.

This is not a hot take or a trip down Hyperbole Boulevard, but the Raiders’ Week 9 Thursday night defeat to the San Francisco 49ers just may have been the worst regular-season defeat in team history.

Consider: These teams are rivals, the 49ers entered the game 1-7 and was starting a quarterback, Nick Mullins, who had never taken an NFL snap, the Raiders entered the game an utter disaster under Jon Gruden … and then they lost, 34-3.

It was an awful moment for Oakland fans, who have suffered so much. All they wanted was to have a little Bay Area bragging rights before the Raiders shuffle off to Las Vegas in 2020.

Yet, they saw their team get smacked in the face. This is becoming a major trend for Oakland, which is now the odds-on favorite to earn the No.1 pick in the 2019 draft. The Raiders have been outscored, 55-3, in the past five quarters. That is almost impossible to pull off.

Oakland had some hope offensively going into the 49ers’ game. Oakland scored 28 points on four long drives in 42-28 loss to the Colts in Week 8. Oakland scored a total of 13 points in losses to the Chargers and Seahawks in the two previous games. However, Oakland reverted to its ineffective offensive ways against the 49ers where it could only muster a first-drive field goal.

Defensively, Oakland was typically awful. This team has allowed 76 points in the past two games. Twenty points is the fewest Oakland has allowed all season.

Oakland’s never-ending roster shake up continued after the 49ers game. Oakland jettisoned pass-rusher Bruce Irvin during the weekend. He was the second team captain, joining linebacker Derrick Johnson, that Gruden has cut this season and joined Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper as key layers that Gruden has shipped out of town.

Indeed, it keeps getting worse in Oakland.

Los Angeles Chargers Storylines

The Chargers are rolling. They are 6-2 and have won five straight games. They’re being overshadowed by the dynamic Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West, the Chiefs beat the Chargers in Week 1, but the truth is the Chargers should be considered a legitimate AFC playoff threat.

This team is 15-5 in their last 20 games. Quarterbacks Philip Rivers is an MVP candidate and the defense is playing very well, led by first-round pick, safety Derwin James.

Raiders vs Chargers Injury Updates

Raiders first-round pick left tackle Kolton Miller is dealing with an aggravation of a knee injury. His availability may be in doubt this week. The team is also hopeful second-year defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes can make his season debut next week at Arizona. He tore his ACL last December.

Chargers star pass-rusher Joey Bosa has been out all season with a foot injury and he will be out this week as well. But the team is hopeful Bosa is getting close to returning to the field.

Raiders vs Chargers Betting Tips and Picks

Here are some things for NFL betting fans to consider in this matchup:

Point Spread

It’s pretty simple: The Chargers are red-hot and the Raiders are probably the worst team in the NFL right now. Taking near double-digit road favorite is a hard swallow, but the Chargers are comfortable on the road and they’re a much better team than Oakland.

Oakland hasn’t been this big of a home underdog in four years, against Denver. Yes, the Broncos covered. Bet Chargers -9.5 with 888Sport.

Over/Under Total

Oakland is giving up points easily, but the Raiders are challenged and I can see this being a a game totaling in the upper 30s. Bet Chargers-Raiders under 50.5 with Karamba.

First-Half Winner

The Chargers should establish their dominance early in this game and start running away with the game early. In his last three games against the Raiders, Rivers has completed 75 of 100 passes and has averaged 331 yards a game. It should be more of the same Sunday. Bet Chargers first-half winner at -250 with 888Sport.