The Los Angeles Chargers (10-6) and Las Vegas Raiders (4-12) will face off in NFL Week 18. Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. EST from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The game will be broadcast live on CBS.
The Chargers are favored by -7 with the game total set at 42.5 points scored. The Chargers are -325 favorites to win outright, while the Raiders are +260 to pull off the upset.
Los Angeles is locked into either the No. 5 or No. 6 seed in the AFC after Justin Herbert and company dominated the Patriots 40-7 last week. The Chargers look to be mostly healthy heading into Week 18 after J.K. Dobbins returned from IR last week and rushed for 76 yards and 1 TD. The Raiders, meanwhile, are simply jockeying for draft position, while the future of the team — beyond star rookie TE Brock Bowers — remains unclear. Antonio Pierce certainly appears to be on the hot seat heading into the 2025 offseason.
Let's get into my Raiders vs Chargers predictions and NFL picks.
Chargers vs. Raiders Prediction, Odds, Pick
| Chargers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-7 -110 | 42.5 -108o / -112u | -325 |
| Raiders Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+7 -110 | 42.5 -108o / -112u | +260 |
- Chargers vs. Raiders spread: Chargers -7 (-110)
- Chargers vs. Raiders over/under: 42.5 (-108o / -112u)
- Chargers vs. Raiders moneyline: Chargers -325, Raiders +260
- Chargers vs. Raiders best bet: Under 42.5
MyChargers vs. Raiders best bet is on the under. For all of your NFL bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NFL odds page.
Spread
I'd lean toward Las Vegas here. The Raiders defense is playing well of late, and the Chargers have nothing to play for here.
Over/Under
The trends say the under is the play here, mostly because of how Las Vegas is playing on defense lately. Also, the Raiders have been under machines. Combine that with the Chargers' slow-paced offense, and we have a bet on the under.
My Pick: Under 41.5
Chargers vs. Raiders NFL Week 18 Preview
The Raiders have nothing to play for here, but they enter this game with their defense quietly playing well. Their last five games have gone under this total.
Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham's unit is up to 14th in DVOA on the season and is 10th in Weighted DVOA, which weighs recent performances more. Quietly, Las Vegas is putting together some solid performances defensively down the stretch.
The Chargers, meanwhile, have already had 10 games score 41 or fewer points this season. That happens when you feature a run-first offense that tends to keep the clock ticking.
Los Angeles is going to make the playoffs and be on the road for its first game. It has been a successful season for Jim Harbaugh in his return to the NFL. The offensive line has powered a successful running game, while Justin Herbert has shown flashes of brilliance along the way with a subpar receiving corps.
This is pick is mostly backed by a bevy of trends, though.
This total has already dropped from when it opened last Sunday night. When the total is between 39 and 45 and the line drops, the under is 220-179-3 (55%) over the last two decades.
If the home team hits the under at a rate of 80% or higher over its last five games in Week 14 or later, the under is 54-37-3 (59%). That's what we have here with Las Vegas being under machines of late.
My Pick: Under 41.5
Raiders vs Chargers Betting Trends
