Chargers vs. Raiders 2021 NFL Week 18 Odds, Preview & Pick

By Carlos Chacon • January 6, 2022

Only one team will get to advance to the postseason between division rivals the Los Angeles Chargers and the Las Vegas Raiders. The winner of Sunday’s blockbuster primetime showdown in Sin City will secure one of the two remaining wild card spots in the conference as these 9-7 AFC West playoff-starved franchises collide for one last time this season.

NitroBetting is ready to equip its bettors with all the latest previews and NFL betting odds for Week 18 of the 2021 NFL season. This time, we look at the crucial AFC West clash between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Las Vegas Raiders. Find out more about the teams and the key players, event information, the latest NFL odds, and of course, helpful betting trends and expert betting predictions.

Chargers vs. Raiders Game Information

When: Sunday, January 9, 2022, 8:20 PM ET
Where: Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, NV
TV: NBC
Radio: KYSR 98.7 FM (Chargers) / 92.3FM KOMP (Raiders)
Live Stream: NFL Network, NFL League Pass
NFL Odds: Chargers (-3) / Raiders (+3)

Why Bet on the Los Angeles Chargers?

The 34-13 rout of the Denver Broncos is a great sign that the Los Angeles Chargers are back on the right track just in time for one last playoff push. Los Angeles suffered back-to-back defeats to the Chiefs and Texans prior to beating the Broncos rather convincingly in Week 17 as the team aims for just its second playoff appearance since 2014.

Justin Herbert, who has racked up nine interceptions since LA’s Week 7 bye, had an error-free afternoon against a Broncos team that picked him off twice in their last meeting from Week 12. Herbert went 22-of-31 for 237 passing yards and a pair of passing touchdowns to exact some revenge from the earlier loss to Denver. Star running back Austin Ekeler was his usual self, finishing with 112 all-purpose yards with a rushing TD on 17 carries and three receptions.

Although the Chargers held their slumping division rivals from Mile High to just 13 points this past weekend, the fact remains that their stop unit is still suspect. The Bolts’ defense ranks in the bottom third of the league in yards allowed (361.0 YAPG; 10th worst in the NFL) and points given up per contest (26.5 PAPG; sixth-worst).

Why Bet on the Las Vegas Raiders?

With the Las Vegas Raiders’ season on the line, the boys from Sin City stunned a lot of football fans by escaping from Indianapolis with a 23-20 victory over the Colts. Not only did Las Vegas impede Indy from clinching a wild card spot, but the team also stayed alive in the playoff hunt itself to set up the winner-take-all showdown against the Chargers in the season finale.

Derek Carr threw only seven incompletions out of his 31 pass attempts to finish with 255 yards and one passing TD. However, two of Carr’s seven misses resulted in interceptions. Then again, that’s par for the course going up against one of the league’s best defenses on the road. That being said, starting running back Josh Jacobs (16 carries, 63 rushing yards, one score against Indy) needs to be more involved in his team’s offensive game plan with Carr still being a volatile asset.

On a more positive note, the Raiders’ defense held the Colts to just a total of 262 yards of offense that game. Vegas is actually 13th in the NFL in yards allowed per game (330.8 YAPG), but is 24th in points surrendered per contest (25.4 PAPG) no thanks to being one of the most penalized teams in the league. A clean effort in the final week of the regular season will go a long way towards the Raiders’ chances of avenging their Week 4 loss to the Chargers and ultimately advancing to the playoffs for just the second time since 2003.

Chargers vs. Raiders Betting Trends

The Chargers are 4-3 at home this season (SU/ATS).
The Bolts are 2-3 in their last five games as road favorites (SU/ATS).
The totals went over in each of LA’s last five outings in general.
The Raiders are 4-4 at home this season (3-5 ATS).
The Silver and Black are 3-2 in their last five meetings against Los Angeles (SU/ATS).
The totals went under in each of Vegas’ last three home games.

Chargers vs. Raiders Expert Betting Predictions

This matchup between two of the AFC West’s underachieving franchises is as unpredictable as it gets even considering the trends stated above. Many still believe that the Chargers are the more superior team, but it’s also hard to deny that the pesky Raiders were tough outs for most of this season with wins over stiff competition such as the Cowboys, Rams, Ravens, and Steelers.

Check out our latest sports betting guides for the 2021 NFL Regular Season. Stay tuned for more Football previews and articles and don’t forget to check out the latest football betting odds at our online Bitcoin sportsbook.

*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.