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Carrie Stroup here with your TNF betting odds for the Chargers vs. Raiders game Oakland -5.5, Total: 47.0.
The Raiders will be looking to inch closer to .500 on Thursday and they’ll be hosting a Chargers team that could still finish with the league’s worst record.
The Chargers defeated the Dolphins 30-14 on Sunday and the game might have been their last in San Diego. The Chargers have long been rumored to be moving and it appears that it is more likely than ever to happen this off-season. San Diego has now covered in three of its past four games heading into this one.
Oakland, meanwhile, lost 30-20 to Green Bay as a four-point home underdog. The Raiders have lost two of their past three games both SU and ATS and are playing for pride at this point in the season. Still, a win over the Chargers and a win over the Chiefs in Week 17 would put them at 8-8. Not much was expected from this Oakland group and finishing at .500 would be extremely respectable for Jack Del Rio’s team.
When the Chargers and Raiders met earlier this year, Oakland came away with a 37-29 victory as a 3.5-point road underdog. The Chargers are 3-2 SU in this head-to-head series over the past three seasons, but the Raiders are 4-1 ATS. San Diego is 25-10 ATS in road games versus teams that complete 61% of their passes or better in the second half of the season since 1992.
Not all is good for the Chargers, though, as they are 3-11 ATS versus teams allowing 24 or more yards per kickoff return over the past two seasons.
Philip Rivers was solid in the final home game of the year for the Chargers, throwing for 311 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. He had not thrown a touchdown pass in the previous two games, so he’ll enter Week 16 extremely relieved. Rivers, however, must take care of the ball against the Raiders on Thursday. He threw for 336 yards with three touchdowns and two picks the last time they met this season and must be even better this time around.
RB Danny Woodhead will also be counted on to have a big game. Woodhead was spectacular against the Dolphins, catching six passes for 50 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for one touchdown. The Chargers will be looking to get him the ball all over the field to make plays.
San Diego will need to step it up defensively, though. They could not stop the Raiders the last time they met and the defense must give its team a chance to win the game.
The Raiders were unable to defeat the Packers in Week 15 and one thing that must change moving forward is Derek Carr’s decision-making. Carr has thrown for six touchdowns over the past three weeks, but he has also thrown five picks in those games. Carr has been putting opposing offenses on the field far too often recently. He needs to start making higher percentage throws in order to help his team win games.
One plus for the Raiders is that Amari Cooper snapped out of his slump. Cooper dominated the Packers, finishing the game with six catches for 120 yards and two touchdowns. He’ll be looking to take advantage of a Chargers secondary that is extremely vulnerable. The first time he played them this season, he finished with five catches for 133 yards and a touchdown.
