by Rod Pearson
Friday, Sep 18, 2026
Game Time: 4:05 pm ET, Sunday, September 20, 2026
Venue: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Where to Watch: CBS
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: Raiders +6.5, Chargers -6.5; Over/Under: 43.5 points
Bet365: Point Spread: Raiders +6.5, Chargers -6.5; Over/Under: 43.5 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: Raiders +6.5, Chargers -6.5; Over/Under: 43.5 points
Season Record
Las Vegas Raiders: 1-0 (1st place, AFC West)
Los Angeles Chargers: 0-1 (3rd place, AFC West)
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Recent Form
Las Vegas Raiders: won their last game at home against the Miami Dolphins 27-13.
Los Angeles Chargers: lost their last game at home against the Arizona Cardinals 26-14.
Las Vegas Raiders vs Los Angeles Chargers Preview and Analysis
The Raiders are entering this game with a 1-0 record overall and they have a 0-0 record in their divisional games too. They are 1-0 in their home games, 0-0 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be on the road for this game. They won their last game against the Miami Dolphins 27-13. Kirk Cousins was the starting QB and he completed 21/30 passes for 160 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Ashton Jeanty led the team in rushing yards with 102. Ashton Jeanty led the receivers with 45 receiving yards on 6 receptions and 2 TDs. Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker, Treydan Stukes, and Kwity Paye each led the defense in that game with 6 solo tackles while Kwity Paye led the defense in sacks with 2. Treydan Stukes came away with the only interception for them in that one.
The Chargers are entering this game with a 0-1 record overall and they have a 0-0 record in their divisional games too. They are 0-1 in their home games, 0-0 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be at home for this game. They lost their last game against the Arizona Cardinals 26-14. Justin Herbert was the starting QB and he completed 17/27 passes for 209 passing yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. Omarion Hampton led the team in rushing yards with 43 and 1 TD. Ladd McConkey led the receivers with 82 receiving yards on 5 receptions and 1 TD. Derwin James Jr. led the defense in that game with 10 solo tackles while Daiyan Henley and Troy Dye each led the defense in sacks with 0.5. No one on the defense came away with an interception for them in that one.
Raiders vs Chargers Prediction
The current betting odds have the Chargers listed as a 6.5 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Chargers haven't looked good in their games this season with their 0-1 record overall so far. They haven't looked great on their home field either with their 0-1 home record this season. Meanwhile, the Raiders have looked good in their games this season with their 1-0 record overall so far. They haven't played any road games yet and will be playing their 1st road game of the year here. The Raiders looked great in their season opener with a 27-13 win over the Dolphins, but the Dolphins were also one of the worst teams in the NFL last season and have the potential to be the worst team this season. They had an easier matchup in week 1, but Kirk Cousins still made a lot of mistakes and they aren't getting as easy of an opponent in this one. The Chargers looked terrible in week 1, losing 26-14 to the Cardinals who were projected to be the worst team in the NFL this season. The offense didn't look good at all in that one, but the Chargers still have a really talented roster and they will be looking to bounce back in a big way here. This is a divisional game too, so the Chargers won't be overlooking this new look Raiders team. The Raiders definitely had a lot of positives in their win, but they also had a ton of negatives and will be getting a big step up in competition here. The Chargers are going to be angry about that upset loss last week too, so look for them to lay a beating on the Raiders in this game. The best way to place a bet here is on the Chargers to cover the spread in this game.
Raiders Chargers Prediction: Our NFL Pick for Sunday, September 20, 2026 (4:05 pm ET start time) is Chargers 28 Raiders 17.
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NFL Betting Trends
Las Vegas Raiders: 10-16 ATS as an underdog. 4-9 ATS in all games where the total is between 42.5 and 49 points. 1-5 ATS after 1 or more consecutive wins. 6-3 UNDER in a road game where the total is between 42.5 and 49 points. 11-4 UNDER after playing a game at home.
Los Angeles Chargers: 8-4 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points. 10-1 ATS versus division opponents. 10-6 ATS after playing a game at home. 8-1 UNDER in September games.
Key Injuries
Las Vegas Raiders: A. O'Connell (QB) Injured - Personal. B. Bowers (TE) Injured - Knee. A. Jeanty (RB) Injured - Ankle. D. Porter (CB) Injured - Foot.
Los Angeles Chargers: B. Dupree (LB) Injured - Rest. D. Davis (WR) Injured - Calf. K. Mack (LB) Injured - Rest. D. Leonard (CB) Injured - Abdomen. L. McConkey (WR) Injured - Rib. A. Mesidor (LB) Injured - Calf. E. Molden (CB) Injured - Hamstring. T. Pipkins III (OT) Injured - Knee. T. Tart (DL) Injured - Ankle. D. Tomlinson (DL) Injured - Hamstring.
Notable Quotes
“We have a lot to get better at, but I'm very excited for our team and our organization.” - Klint Kubiak after his team’s win against the Dolphins in their last game.
“They played well, but it’s on us to play better. We didn’t play the way we wanted to.” - Justin Herbert after their loss against the Cardinals in their last game.
Starting Lineups
Las Vegas Raiders
WR Tucker, Tre
WR Nailor, Jalen
WR Bech, Jack
TE Bowers, Brock
QB Cousins, Kirk
RB Jeanty, Ashton
FB Heyward, Connor
Los Angeles Chargers
WR Johnston, Quentin
WR Harris, Tre'
WR McConkey, Ladd
TE Kolar, Charlie
QB Herbert, Justin
RB Hampton, Omarion
FB Ingold, Alec
Statistical Leaders
Las Vegas Raiders
Passing: Kirk Cousins (160)
Rushing: Ashton Jeanty (102)
Receiving: Ashton Jeanty (45)
Touchdowns: Ashton Jeanty (2)
Los Angeles Chargers
Passing: Justin Herbert (209)
Rushing: Omarion Hampton (43)
Receiving: Ladd McConkey (82)
Touchdowns: Ladd McConkey (1)
Coaches:
Las Vegas Raiders: Klint Kubiak (1st season)
Los Angeles Chargers: Jim Harbaugh (3rd season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
