The Las Vegas Raiders host the Los Angeles Chargers in Monday Night Football action in Week 2. L.A. quarterback Justin Herbert and Vegas pivot Geno Smith both aired it out in Week 1, and my Chargers vs. Raiders predictions bet on both QBs to have success again.
Here are my early NFL picks for this AFC West clash on Monday, September 15.
Chargers vs Raiders predictions
Here are our early thoughts on the spread and total for this week’s game. We will have a full game preview (with a best bet and SGP) later in the week.
Early MNF spread pick: Chargers -3.5
Both teams are coming off upset victories in Week 1. That said, I put more stock in the Los Angeles Chargers' 27-21 win against the Chiefs than I do in the Las Vegas Raiders' 20-13 victory against the lowly Patriots.
Coming into this season, many thought the Raiders would have one of the worst defenses in the NFL. While they held Drake Maye and a punch-less Pats offense to just 13 points, they'll have a much tougher time slowing down Justin Herbert in Week 2.
Herbert completed 25 of 34 passes for 318 yards against the Chiefs last week. He did a great job of spreading the ball around with Quentin Johnston, Ladd McConkey, and Keenan Allen all grabbing at least five receptions for 65+ receiving yards.
Geno Smith looked terrific in his Raiders debut last week, completing 24 of 34 passes for 362 yards against the Patriots. That said, L.A. has a solid defense that ranked fourth in the league in dropback EPA and fifth in dropback success rate last year.
The Bolts' defense should be able to slow down Smith enough for their explosive offense to pull away.
Early MNF total pick: Over 47
Justin Herbert shredded the Chiefs in Week 1, and now he faces a Vegas secondary that might be the worst in the league. Meanwhile, the Chargers' D should regress a bit in 2025 after outperforming expectations and facing a ton of bad offenses last year.
That L.A. stop unit could have its hands full with Geno Smith, who threw for 362 yards last week. Pete Carroll is known for his aggressive play-calling, and the new Raiders pivot had plenty of deep throws in Week 1, which we should see again.
That's not even mentioning both teams drafted highly-regarded RBs in the first round, but neither found their footing in Week 1. If they start to play up to their potential, both offenses could really take off.
Chargers vs Raiders odds
- Chargers vs. Raiders spread: Raiders +3.5
- Chargers vs. Raiders moneyline: Chargers -185, Raiders +155
- Chargers vs. Raiders Over/Under: 47
How to watch Chargers vs Raiders
- Chargers vs. Raiders matchup
- Date: Monday, September 15, 2025, 10:00 p.m. ET
- City: Las Vegas, NV
- Venue: Allegiant Stadium
- TV: ESPN
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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