Chargers vs. Raiders Free Pick
OAKLAND, CA (The Spread) – AFC West rivals meet in the second of two Monday Night Football games tonight when the Raiders host the Chargers at 10:15PM ET.
SAN DIEGO: Norv Turner once again enters a NFL season on the hot seat. The Chargers under performed again last year and couldn’t win a weak division, but they have as much talent as any team in the division. Philip Rivers is the key to San Diego’s success. He struggled last season and the Chargers couldn’t string many wins together. But he’s proven in the past that he can put this team on his shoulders and lead them to victory. San Diego is notorious for starting the season slow so getting off to a good start tonight would be huge.
OAKLAND: Because of questionable decisions made by prior regimes, the Raiders couldn’t be active in free agency and were without picks in the first two rounds of the NFL draft. Thus, they have to hope that Carson Palmer still has enough left in the tank and that Darren McFadden can stay healthy. The offensive line is a question mark but the defense has improved so if they can shake off its poor finish last season, the Raiders could surprise in 2012.
ODDS: The Raiders opened as 1-point favorites and that’s where the line remains. That said, 59% of the betting public favors the Chargers so the spread could change before kickoff. The total for this game is sitting at 46.5.
TRENDS: The over is 5-0 in the last five meetings between these two teams in Oakland. The Chargers are 8-2 against the spread in their last 10 trips to Oakland but 1-5 ATS in their last six games versus the Raiders overall. The road team is 4-1 against the spread in the last five games between these two teams and 6-0 ATS in the last six meetings overall.
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