Written by :
Published on :
The Thursday night game - Oakland Raiders vs. San Diego Chargers - shouldn't have many people all that excited unless of course you plan on betting this game. Odds opened at San Diego -7 ½ and have moved all the way up to -9 ½ at some online sportsbooks - keeping in mind that this is a San Diego team that has gone 1-5 in their last 6 outings and that one win was by a single point against - drum roll please - Kansas City.
Not that the Raiders are very good. They've won only 3 games so far this season.
The Chargers, however, have won their last 10 games against the Raiders. Only three of those games were not won by more than the current spread.
"They don't call the season off when you're going bad or when the odds are stacked against you that you won't be playing in January," San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers said. "So we've got to go play a game. If you've got any pride or anything about you, you'll prepare and go play."
A year after reaching the AFC championship game, the Chargers (4-8) likely need to win their final four games to have any shot of making the playoffs, and it's a necessity if they are to avoid their first sub-.500 season since going 4-12 in 2003.
The NFC West champion three of the last four years, San Diego is three games behind division-leading Denver with four to play. That means if the Chargers lose Thursday, they will be eliminated from postseason contention if the Broncos beat Kansas City on Sunday.
As bad as both these teams are playing, Gambling911.com won't be making any prediction on this game.
If you are looking to bet the Chargers, Bookmaker.com still had them at -9 heading into Thursday morning at least.
Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com
