TNF Week 15: LA Chargers vs Las Vegas Raiders – Insights by Loot Levinson

The Los Angeles Chargers come to Allegiant Stadium for an AFC West showdown with the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday Night Football. Both teams are landing in this week 15 spot with a thud. On Sunday, it was ugly for both teams, combining for ten points scored. The Chargers could only manage a 4th-quarter TD in a 24-7 loss to the Broncos, as they have officially hit rock bottom. The Raiders did even worse, putting up a goose egg at home in an unsightly 3-0 loss to the Vikings. Back at home on the short week, they look for better on Thursday night. Who should we get behind in this matchup of troubled teams?

Unpacking the Details of This Game

With Justin Herbert having suffered a broken index finger, it looks like the Chargers are going to be stuck with Easton Stick. On one hand, he didn’t look terrible in relief of Herbert on Sunday and has been good enough to remain the Chargers’ backup for several seasons. But with Herbert very durable, he hasn’t gotten much real game-work, and his viability as a starter is up in the air. For this Chargers’ offense to manage 23 combined points of scoring in their last three games with a good QB like Herbert, one can only imagine what it’s going to look like now.

When the Raiders dumped Josh McDaniels, they went on a little spurt with Antonio Pierce in the interim role, but that adrenaline-rush has long since faded, with the Raiders dropping three straight and really sinking to new depths on Sunday, losing 3-0 at home to the Vikings. Their problems are numerous, as they extract a stunningly low amount of production despite having some talent on offense. But this might be one spot where there is an edge for the Raiders in terms of morale and functionality. For as bad as things have gone for them, at least they have some good reasons—a lack of talent on defense, shoddy quarterback play, injuries, and a midseason head coaching change. For the Chargers, they have ample talent on both sides of the ball. Sure, there have been personnel issues. But to say they’ve underachieved up to this point would be a massive understatement. And it’s hard to watch them and not think they’re just broken at this point, waiting for the merciful end of a shot season.

What to Expect

The dysfunction that lies with both teams is reflected in the anemic total. It’s fair to say both teams have defenses that are playing better than their offenses right now. And while either defense would be in trouble against a legit offense, that’s not what they will be seeing this week. It’s hard to imagine whatever is ailing the Chargers will go away with Herbert having broken a finger on his throwing hand and Stick pushed into action. And while the differential in talent versus production has been enormous for the Chargers’ defense, they still have enough talent to put a hurt on a Raiders’ offense coming off a total rock-bottom game.

For all their issues, however, guys on the Raiders in key positions are still vying to make a mark before the season is over. It’s disconcerting that Davante Adams has seen his season fade into oblivion, trapped in a broken offense. And Joshua Jacobs is more often than not putting forth very little production. Still, coach Pierce is looking to make a good impression in this last handful of games. QB Aidan O’Connell is trying to forge a place in this league. And even though the Raiders are coming off a demoralizing shutout, the Bolts are more stuck on a bad path, having seen things progressively get worse to where they’re reduced to a lone fourth-quarter score at home against Denver in a game where the result was never in doubt. As strange as it feels to say it, the Raiders coming off a shutout might actually be in a better place than the Chargers.

Decent Spot for a Raiders’ Bounce-Back?

A Vegas defense that showed its fangs even with the offense hanging them out to dry on Sunday could be in a decent matchup on Thursday, facing a downward-spiraling Chargers’ offense trying to figure things out on the short week with yet another personnel hardship. Other than a bad loss to the Chiefs a few weeks ago, it’s a defense that has been holding up surprisingly well over the second half of the season, with Pierce maybe giving this unit a little extra edge. We saw that on Sunday with five sacks from this “D,” including two from Maxx Crosby, who is really coming on lately. And if there were to be a big game forthcoming from Adams or if Jacobs could rediscover the form he showed late last season, why not here against a beleaguered Bolts’ defense that has played a big part in torpedoing this season for the Chargers?

Lay the Points on the Home Favorite

It’s an interesting matchup, with it being hard to get behind either team in light of recent failings and especially last week. It just seems that if either team has the ability going into week 15 to get somewhere close to being a decent version of themselves, it’s going to be the Raiders. There are a lot of good pros on the Chargers’ sideline who have high standards, but collectively, they seem finished, and it’s a bit surprising that head coach Brandon Staley hasn’t been canned. The short week maybe making that harder. In any event, I see the Raiders’ defense controlling the game in spots as they get the win and cover at home on Thursday. I’ll take the Raiders.

Loot’s Prediction to Cover the Point Spread: I’m betting on the Las Vegas Raiders minus 3 points.