The Los Angeles Chargers and the Las Vegas Raiders will kick off their seasons on Sunday at SoFi Stadium in California.
Last season, the Chargers finished third in the division standings but failed to make the playoffs after going 9-8. Previously, the Chargers attempted to defeat the New Orleans Saints in the most recent game. However, they were defeated with a score of 27-10. Their most recent defeat was their third in three preseason games, having previously been defeated by the Dallas Cowboys (32-18) and the Los Angeles Rams (29-22). The Chargers are currently ranked 28th in the standings.
Meanwhile, the Raiders finished second in the American Football Conference (AFC) West last season after going 10-7 overall. This year, they have won all four of their preseason games.
The most recent game was a 23-6 victory over the New England Patriots by the Raiders. They previously defeated the Miami Dolphins 15-13, the Minnesota Vikings 26-20, and the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-11. They are currently ranked fourth in the current standings.
Odds, spread, moneyline
The odds for the upcoming Chargers vs. Raiders game in the first week of the NFL regular season according to DraftKings Sportsbook are as follows:
Spread: Chargers @ -3.5 (-115) | Raiders @ +3.5 (-105)
Moneyline: Chargers @ -180 | Raiders @ +155
Total: Chargers U 52.5 -110 | Raiders O 52.5 -110
Head-to-Head
During their previous encounters, the Chargers defeated the Raiders twice, once in December 2020 by a score of 30-27 and once in October 2021 by a score of 28-14. However, the Raiders won their most recent encounter, which took place in January 2022, 35–32.
Justin Herbert, who is regarded as one of the league’s top quarterback prospects, directs the offense for the Chargers. Herbert amassed more than 5,000 yards and 38 touchdowns last year.
Austin Ekeler, a running back who had a fantastic season last year by scoring 20 touchdowns, is also supporting the Chargers, together with one of the best NFL receivers, Mike Williams and Keenan Allen. With guard Zion Johnson’s addition in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft, the Chargers’ already potent offense gains even more strength.
However, after finishing the NFL’s fourth-worst scoring defense last season, Chargers head coach Brandon Staley clearly needs to do more work. According to reports, the Chargers have signed cornerback J.C. Jackson to a five-year deal in addition to Khalil Mack to strengthen their defense, as reported by NFL Spin Zone’s Brendan Danaher, saying,
“The Chargers’ main weakness last season was their defense and the Chargers fixed that this offseason by signing one of the best cornerbacks (JC Jackson) and an elite defensive end in former Raider Khalil Mack,” Danaher said.
The Raiders are also a serious contender, particularly in light of the fact that their offensive ranking in 2021 was No. 11. Along with hiring Josh McDaniels as their new head coach, the Raiders are strengthening their offense by adding All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams. Adams is reportedly the best receiver in the NFL, according to ESPN.
Additionally, the Raiders recently added offensive lineman Vitaliy Gurman and defensive back J.R. Reed to the practice squad. This demonstrates how the Raiders are upgrading both their offense and defense at the same time.