Chargers Get Revenge Vs. Raiders In Week 1

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The Los Angeles Chargers start their 2022 campaign by hosting the team that ended their 2021 season. The Las Vegas Raiders' 35-32 Week 18 overtime victory vs. the Chargers last season clinched Vegas' playoff berth and eliminated L.A.

These teams are 2-2 overall and against the spread (ATS) since Chargers QB Justin Herbert entered the NFL in 2020. The winner of the last four Raiders-Chargers meetings was by the team whose quarterback had a better QB Rating.

This tips the scales towards L.A. in my handicap since the Chargers have the better quarterback. However, L.A.'s investments on the other side of the ball get me to the window at DraftKings Sportsbook to BET the LOS ANGELES CHARGERS -3.5 (-110).

Betting Deets

Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr is sacked by Los Angeles Chargers DE Joey Bosa during the 1st half at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images).

Handicap

L.A.'s pass rush will wreak havoc on Vegas' suspect offensive line and make life difficult for Raiders QB Derek Carr. The Chargers' adding DE Khalil Mack alongside DE Joey Bosa gives L.A. the best pass-rushing tandem in the league.

Also, L.A. used resources on its biggest defensive weakness from last season — stopping the run. The Chargers' defense had the third-worst rushing expected points added (EPA) per play and the worst rushing success rate in 2021.

But, L.A. picked up two interior linemen (DTs Sebastian Joseph-Day and Austin Johnson) and LB Kyle Van Noy to sure up the rush defense. In fact, the Chargers' offseason acquisitions raise their defensive ceiling up to top-10.

Lastly, Herbert will torch Vegas' defense Sunday. The Raiders added CB Rock Ya-Sin in the offseason. But that doesn't adequately address a Vegas defense that ranked 26th in dropback EPA and 23rd in dropback success rate in 2021.

Between personnel and motivation to avenge last season's ending loss, the LOS ANGELES CHARGERS -3.5 (-110) at DraftKings Sportsbook is the play.

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Geoff Clark serves as OutKick’s sports betting guru. As a writer and host of OutKick Bets with Geoff Clark, he dives deep into the sports betting landscape and welcomes an array of sports betting personalities on his show to handicap America’s biggest sporting events. Previously, Clark was a writer/podcaster for USA TODAY's Sportsbook Wire website, handicapping all the major sports tentpoles with a major focus on the NFL, NBA and MLB. Clark graduated from St. John University.