The Las Vegas Raiders will play the Los Angeles Chargers on primetime Thursday night. The game will feature quarterbacks for the Chargers Easton Stick, and for the Raiders, it looks like they will stick with Aiden O'Connell.
Last week was a challenging one for both teams. The Raiders, despite the home advantage, endured a close 3-0 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings. Yes, it was a tough pill to swallow: 3-0. On the other hand, the Chargers were bested by the Broncos 24-7. Both teams are more determined than ever to bounce back in the upcoming game.
Date: Dec. 14, 2024
Start Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Stadium: Allegiant Stadium
TV Info: Prime Video / Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit are on the call.
{Raiders} Uniform Info: Silver and Black
Chargers
Defense
Los Angeles comes into the match 29th in defense, giving up 375.1 yards per game. They give up 113.2 yards rushing and 261.9 yards passing. They also give 21.7 points per game.
They are led by edge-rushed Khalil Mack, who has 15 sacks. Last time against the Raiders, Mack had six sacks against O'Connell. He will be looking to feast again.
Offense
With Justin Herbert out for the season, it will be up to Stick to lead the offense. With an inexperienced quarterback, the Chargers will likely lean on a rushing attack featuring Austin Ekeler and Josh Kelly. Ekeler will probably see a lot of catches out of the backfield.
Stick go-to receiver will Keenan Allen will be out, so Ekeler will see a lot of touches.
Raiders
Defense
The Raiders' defense has played outstandingly this season. They are ranked No.9 in points per game, giving up 19.9, and they are really good at defending the pass. Maxx Crosby leads the Raiders with 13.5 sacks and adds 76 tackles. Robert Spillane leads the Raiders with 115.
The Raiders secondary has played well this season, with Nate Hobbs leading the way with six passes defended. The secondary as a whole has been outstanding.
Offense
O'Connell led the Raiders' offense and did not play well last week. The Raiders could be with running back Josh Jacobs, who has a quad injury. If that's the case, Zamir White will get some touches, and he has been wheeling in limited playing time.
The Raiders have some of the best catchers in the league, such as Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, and Hunter Renfrow. Bo " Bubble Screen" Hardegree has to call plays better to get the playmakers the ball.
Betting Odds
Points Spread: LV -3.5 | LA +3.5
Moneyline: LV -156 | LA +132
Over/Under 34.5
This will likely be a low-scoring game, and I would lean on taking the Raiders -3.5.
Prediction:
I have the Raiders winning this one 16-10. Last week's goose egg should have left a bad taste in the Raiders' mouth, and they should be eager to return to the field. The Raiders passing attack will be productive if the offensive line can protect O'Connell.
The Raiders defense will pressure Stick and force him to throw a couple of interceptions.
(Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)
