LA Chargers: Staff predictions for Week 15 vs. Las Vegas Raiders

The LA Chargers take on the Las Vegas Raiders in the last Thursday Night Football game of the year.

The last time that the LA Chargers played in the last Thursday Night Football game of the season they shocked the Kansas City Chiefs by going for two at the end of regulation to win the ball game. Will magic repeat itself against the Las Vegas Raiders?

It is hard to be optimistic that it will. This season has been a disaster for the Chargers, who have lost nine straight games to AFC West opponents. With three more to end the season, the Chargers have the possibility of going 0-12 in-division over the last two years.

That is simply unacceptable, especially considering neither the Raiders or Broncos have been particularly good the last two years. Hopefully, the team can snap that losing streak on Thursday.

As we do with every game, the Bolt Beat staff got together to bring you our predictions for the action, including who will win as well as the final points total. According to The Action Network, the betting total for this game has been placed at 52.

Bolt Beat staff predictions for LA Chargers vs. Las Vegas Raiders:

Alex Insdorf (13-11): LA Chargers 30, Las Vegas Raiders 23

“The Raiders are a mess on the defensive side of the ball. They fired their defensive coordinator on a short week with four key defensive players out at all three levels of the defense.

The Chargers’ coaching problems are apparent, but Las Vegas is in a tailspin that will be made even worse by the short week.”

Brandon Viera (9-15): LA Chargers 27, Las Vegas Raiders 17

“The Chargers will build off of a good game defensively against Atlanta and hopefully the offense will find their groove. The team can look to go into next season with momentum and it continues on prime time”

Devon Auriemma (16-10): Las Vegas Raiders 27, LA Chargers 24

“Just like how the last meeting between these two teams went, we should be in for a close game. The Chargers have more talent but their coaching and mental mistakes continue to lose them games that they should win. I’ll give the Raiders the slight edge in this one.”

Ryan Daley (15-7): LA Chargers 30, Las Vegas Raiders 27

“I have a feeling that the Chargers might be able to come out with a win this prime time game. Especially with plenty of injuries to both teams. It could be interesting to see if the Chargers could spoil the Raiders playoff hopes”

Steven Haglund (16-8): LA Chargers 27, Las Vegas Raiders 20

“The Chargers get their first set of back to back wins of the 2020 season. The Raiders’ defense is downright awful and will be playing without three starters this week. The Chargers offense will take advantage behind big days for Justin Herbert, who will break the rookie passing touchdown record, and Austin Ekler, who will have his first 100-yard rushing game of the season.”

Tyler Gallagher (17-9): Las Vegas Raiders 34, LA Chargers 30

“In the last four games, the Raiders have given up 28 points or more, including a game against the awful Jets. Herbert and the offense should thrive, but can an ailing Chargers secondary and special teams hold the Raiders down enough to get the win? Given the Chargers’ awful coaching in close games, I have to lean slightly towards the Raiders, although it will be a tight game.”

Jason Reed (14-12): Las Vegas Raiders 28, LA Chargers 27

I think this is going to be an extremely close and very entertaining game but at the end of the day, while the Raiders are trending in the wrong direction, I cannot get fully behind the Bolts.

This has all the makings of being a get-right game for the Raiders and as bad as their defense is, I just do not have faith in Anthony Lynn on a short week. Call me crazy, but the game-planning for this team has been bad in full weeks. How is it going to be better in a short week?

The Raiders simply have more to play for in this game and let’s not forget that the Chargers’ four wins are against the three worst teams in the league plus the Atlanta Falcons.

Chargers get a chance late to win the game but will run out of time as a result of Anthony Lynn’s mismanagement.