Raiders vs. Rams Spread Prediction
The Los Angeles Rams are receiving plenty of love from public bettors tonight as they take on the dysfunctional Oakland Raiders at 10:20 p.m. ET. Will the Rams cover as a road favorite or will the Raiders spoil public bettors’ night?
Game Snapshot
481 Los Angeles Rams at 482 Oakland Raiders
10:20 p.m. ET, Monday, September 20, 2018
Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, California
Public Betting Trends
According to oddsmakers from online sports book BetNow.eu, the Rams are 6-point favorites to beat the Raiders. The total, meanwhile, sits at 47.5 points. As of this writing, 66% of the public betting tickets are on the Rams to cover the point spread.
Los Angeles Rams
Rams signed DT Aaron Donald to a six-year, $135 million extension through 2024. Donald gets $87 million guaranteed. At $22.5 million per year in new money, Donald is now the league’s highest-paid defensive player. He’s well worth it after winning Defensive Player of the Year honors last season and being named a first-team All Pro each of the last three seasons. Donald has 39 sacks through four seasons and has established himself as the premier interior lineman in the NFL. With Donald’s situation resolved, the Rams are pretty well set moving forward. Todd Gurley was also locked up this summer.
Oakland Raiders
Seth Roberts will remain the Raiders’ slot receiver. It’s an upset after the Raiders traded for Martavis Bryant and Ryan Switzer, but neither addition worked out, to put it mildly. It’s a shame for both Amari Cooper and Jordy Nelson, who could have benefitted from more snaps in the middle of the field. Hopefully new coach Jon Gruden will work to move Cooper around the formation like ex-OC Todd Downing finally did near the end of last season.
NFL Betting Trends
Los Angeles
In the last four meetings between these two teams, the Rams are a perfect 4-0 against the spread.
Oakland
In their last 14 games overall, the Raiders are just 3-9-2 at the betting window.
Prediction
I really want to make a case for the Raiders here because the value has been sucked out of the point spread and public bettors are loading up on the Rams. That said, I don’t see how Derek Carr moves the ball against this revamped L.A. defense and the Raiders will struggle defensively without Khalil Mack. The Rams might need a quarter or two to get going offensively, but eventually, I expect the damn to break and L.A. to cover the six points.
NFL Week 1 Prediction: Los Angeles Rams -6