The NFL regular season comes to an end with a mouthwatering AFC West rivalry on Sunday Night Football. The Chargers (9-7) won the first matchup against the Raiders 28-14, but they have lost two of their past three heading into Sunday’s crucial contest. The Raiders (9-7) appeared to have little in the way of postseason aspirations before they embarked on a three-game winning streak. The winner heads to the playoffs, while the loser is likely heading home for the postseason.
Kickoff is set for 8:20 p.m. ET from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Los Angeles is a 3.5-point favorite and the over-under for total points scored is 48.5 in the latest Chargers vs. Raiders odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Before locking in any Raiders vs. Chargers picks on Sunday Night Football, you need to see what SportsLine’s resident Chargers expert, Mike Tierney, has to say.
A national sportswriter whose work appears in The New York Times and Los Angeles Times, Tierney has covered the NFL for decades and reported from seven Super Bowls. He’s used his experience to crush the NFL, going 190-152 against the spread the past three seasons.
What’s more, Tierney is an outstanding 28-15 on his last 43 picks involving the Los Angeles Chargers. Anyone who has followed him has seen massive returns.
Now, Tierney has locked in on Chargers vs. Raiders from every angle and released a confident against-the-spread pick. You can only see his Raiders vs. Chargers pick at SportsLine. Here are several NFL odds and betting lines for Chargers vs. Raiders:
- Chargers vs. Raiders point spread: Chargers -3.5
- Chargers vs. Raiders over-under total: 48.5 points
- Chargers vs. Raiders money line: Chargers -180, Raiders +155
- LAC: The Chargers are 6-2 against the spread in their last eight games against AFC West opponents
- LV: The underdog is 18-7 ATS in the last 25 meetings in this series
Featured Game | Las Vegas Raiders vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Why the Chargers can cover
Three of the Chargers’ seven losses have come to non-playoff teams, but a lack of motivation should not be a problem against a division rival with a playoff spot on the line.
In just his second NFL season, Justin Herbert already has emerged as one of the NFL’s elite signal-callers and was recently named the Pro Bowl starter for the AFC. Herbert has thrown for 4,631 yards with 35 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He has completed more than 67 percent of his passes and added 301 rushing yards and three more scores on the ground.
Why the Raiders can cover
Although the Raiders have been hit hard by injuries at key positions, they appear to be getting as healthy as they have been all season at the right time. Perhaps no returning player is more important than tight end Darren Waller, who has missed the last five weeks because of an assortment of injuries. Raiders interim coach Rich Bisaccia told the media this week that he expects Waller to be in the lineup Sunday against the Chargers.
When healthy, Waller provides a nightmare matchup for opposing defenses with his size, speed and ball skills. Waller, who has 53 catches for 643 yards and two touchdowns, has been out of the lineup since leaving with a knee injury against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving. He had four receptions for 60 yards and a score in the first meeting against the Chargers. What’s more, quarterback Derek Carr has quietly had one of the best seasons of his up-and-down career. He has thrown for 4,618 yards and 21 touchdowns against 14 interceptions.
How to make Raiders vs. Chargers picks
Tierney is leaning under on the point total, but he has a much stronger play against the spread for the Chargers vs. Raiders regular season finale. In fact, he says a crucial X-factor makes one side of the spread hit hard. You only get Tierney’s Sunday Night Football picks at SportsLine.
Who wins Raiders vs. Chargers on Sunday Night Football? And what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Raiders vs. Chargers spread you should jump on, all from the NFL expert who’s 28-15 on picks involving the Chargers, and find out.
