Week 4 of the NFL season ends with two of the upstart teams in the AFC as the 2-1 Los Angeles Chargers host the 3-0 Las Vegas Raiders. The game features two of the best quarterbacks in the early going of the season, Derek Carr of the Raiders and Justin Herbert of the Chargers. Kickoff at Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET on Monday and will air on ESPN.
No matter where the teams have called home, the Raiders and Chargers have met at least twice a season since 1960. The Raiders lead the all-time series 66-55-2, and the last ten are split 5-5. Last season the Chargers won in overtime in Las Vegas while the Raiders won by five in Los Angeles.
Raiders Off to Best Start in 19 Years
The last time the Raiders were 3-0 was in 2002, and they ended that campaign in the Super Bowl. Two of their three wins have come in overtime, making the Raiders the fourth team ever to have two OT wins in the first three weeks.
Carr leads the NFL with 1,203 passing yards on the season, and he has six touchdown passes to six different receivers. Dating back to last year, Carr has passed for at least 325 yards in five straight games.
Running back Josh Jacobs will be a game-time decision after missing the last two games with an ankle injury. Peyton Barber has filled in with 143 yards and a touchdown, while Kenyan Drake has 44 yards.
Tight end Darren Waller is Carr’s top target with 20 receptions for 224 yards and a touchdown. Henry Ruggs III and Bryan Edwards both have over 200 yards and a 20+ yard per catch average, while Hunter Renfrow has 204 yards and a touchdown.
El Trafico Ends in Draw Again
The Chargers are the home team Monday night, but it may sound like a pro-Raiders crowd given the team’s fan base in their former home. Los Angeles is 0-1 at home this season, with a loss to Dallas while they won in Washington and Kansas City.
Herbert has 956 passing yards in three games while completing 70 percent of his passes. He has six touchdowns, three interceptions and has been sacked five times.
Running back Austin Ekeler is healthy and provides a threat in both the run and pass game. He has rushed for 166 yards and one touchdown while catching 15 passes for 113 yards and another score.
Wideout Mike Williams has caught a touchdown pass in four straight games dating back to last season, and he has 22 catches for 295 yards. Keenan Allen has caught 21 passes for 258 yards and a touchdown, and both receivers average at least 12 yards per catch.
The Chargers have the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Month in defensive back, Asante Samuel Jr., who will have his hands full against the Raiders wideouts. Samuel has interceptions in the last two games and is one of six rookie defensive backs to have played at least 100 snaps.
Betting Analysis
- Las Vegas Raiders +3 (-105). +150 Moneyline
- Los Angeles Chargers -3 (-115) -170 Moneyline
- Total Points: 51.5 Over -105 Under -115
The Raiders and Arizona Cardinals are the only remaining unbeaten teams on the season, and Las Vegas has rallied for two wins already. This game should be close throughout and could be explosive as both quarterbacks have been dialed in all season. If Jacobs can’t go, the Chargers have the advantage in the run game, and that could be the difference.
Free Pick: Over 51.5 (-105)
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