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Monday Night Football Picks: Los Angeles Chargers vs Las Vegas Raiders

by Mike Allen - 9/11/2025

Monday Night Football picks Los Angeles Chargers vs Las Vegas Raiders

We have not one but two games this Monday night. We had our pick, if you will, for which game to predict. I chose the AFC West matchup between the visiting Chargers and the home Las Vegas Raiders over the Buccaneers at Texans game because we more or less know what we're getting with a divisional game than one like the latter, where we have two organizations that've met just six times in the past 23 years.  

The LA Chargers had about as awesome a Week 1 game as they could have imagined. The Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes looked better than he did all of last season, and you still won pretty comfortably, especially considering said “4th quarter cheat code” was on your tail.

Call me crazy, but I would start to look at some potential Super Bowl futures betting odds on the Chargers. They may have the best left tackle in football with Joe Alt. I’m glad they’re still underestimating Herbert because he has a chip on his shoulder. Their head coach, love him or hate him, is elite. The defense as a unit is one of the best in football.

They’ll make the up and down flight over the Mojave Desert into Sin City for a Monday night matchup with the Raiders. Vegas looked good last week, albeit against the Patriots, but they did win on the road as an underdog.

New addition under center, veteran Geno Smith, threw for over 360 yards. The chemistry is already there between him and new head coach Pete Carroll from their days in Seattle. Smith is playing some of the best football of his career lately. The vaunted Chargers' defense will be put to the test. 

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Los Angeles Chargers (-3.5) at Las Vegas Raiders (+3.5)

We opened at 3.5 points, and that's where we are still. I'm not sure for how long, though, because 87% of the money has been bet on the LA Chargers. That's usually a sign to buy now if you like the Bolts.

Point Total: 46.5

About 75% of the joes and 80% of the pros like the over in this matchup. A big part of that is due to Smith’s output through the air on Sunday. LA will slow him down a bit, but being able to get in now on an over bet while the point total remains south of the key number of 47 is tempting.

Moneyline

Chargers: -180

Raiders: +150

I could see it. The Chargers come back from Brazil as flat as the steakhouse cutting boards. Meanwhile in Vegas, Maxx Crosby and his head coach are coming up with new ways to motivate the team.

Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders Betting Analysis

Week 1 was a big one for LA. They had to go down to Brazil, almost certainly surrounded by an inordinate amount of temptation, and defeat their boogeymen, the Kansas City Chiefs.

Mission accomplished. Now what?

Ah, yes. Go to Vegas for another divisional game away from your home field. If you thought there weren’t many Charger fans out there, it won’t be a ton of Vegas Raiders die-hards packing Allegiant Stadium for Monday Night Football.

Alt vs Crosby is a Hall of Fame matchup to keep your eye on. All the Chargers tackle has to do is make the performances of him and Crosby cancel each other out, and it's a win for LA.

Do the Chargers have the far better roster between the two teams? Yes, certainly. Will that matter, though, when Smith is doing what he does best, airing it out in the 4th quarter to make a finish closer than it should've been?

Even though the West Virginia alum threw for better than a 70% completion percentage in 2024, he also chucked the ball to the other team 15 times. The Chargers had 15 interceptions last year.

I like what Carroll has cooking in Vegas with the Raiders. They’re going to be a tough out this year, but I will bet on the better roster and Smith making a mistake at the wrong time.

Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders Betting Pick

Pick: Chargers (-3.5)

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