Raiders vs. Chargers NFL Week 1 Picks: Las Vegas Can Keep This Game Close

Can Gardner Minshew Deliver?

The Las Vegas Raiders went 8-9 last season, marking their second consecutive year without a playoff appearance. After a rough start, losing five of their first eight games, the team parted ways with head coach Josh McDaniels and appointed linebackers coach Antonio Pierce as interim head coach.

Pierce led the Raiders to a 5-4 finish, with the defense excelling and allowing the fewest points in the NFL during that stretch (16 points per game). His success earned him the full-time head coaching role, while Patrick Graham remains the defensive coordinator. On the offensive side, Luke Getsy has joined as the new offensive coordinator after two seasons with the Chicago Bears.

In 2024, the Raiders are set to rely on their defensive strength. Offensively, they are looking for a spark from quarterback Gardner Minshew, who started 13 games for the Indianapolis Colts last year.

Minshew threw for 3,305 yards, 15 touchdowns, and nine interceptions in 2023 and will aim to build a strong connection with star receiver Davante Adams, who caught 103 passes for 1,144 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games last season.

The team will face life without running back Josh Jacobs, who departed for the Green Bay Packers after five years in Las Vegas. In his absence, Zamir White and Alexander Mattison are expected to carry the load in the backfield. Mattison posted 700 rushing yards on 180 carries (3.9 yards per carry) in 16 games (13 starts) with the Minnesota Vikings last season.

The Jim Harbaugh Era Begins

The Los Angeles Chargers are entering a new era after hiring Harbaugh as head coach. Fresh off a national championship win with Michigan, Harbaugh takes over a team that struggled in 2023, finishing 5-12.

Head coach Brandon Staley was dismissed after a 63-21 blowout loss to the Raiders on December 14, with star quarterback Justin Herbert sidelined for the final four games due to a finger injury. Herbert, who also dealt with a plantar fascia injury during training camp, finished the season with 3,134 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 13 games, completing 65.1% of his passes.

Keeping Herbert healthy will be crucial for the Chargers, but with running back Austin Ekeler now in Washington and wide receiver Keenan Allen off to Chicago, the offense faces major changes.

In response, Los Angeles brought in running backs Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins to shore up the ground game, while center Bradley Bozeman and right tackle Joe Alt joined the offensive line. The Chargers might lean on the run under Harbaugh, with Greg Roman, formerly of the Baltimore Ravens, as the new offensive coordinator.

On defense, the Chargers are banking on Joey Bosa staying healthy and Khalil Mack continuing his dominant play after a 2023 season in which he notched 17 sacks, 21 tackles for loss, and five forced fumbles in 17 games. Jesse Minter, who worked with Harbaugh at Michigan, takes over as defensive coordinator.

The Pick

The Chargers enter this season with a revamped coaching staff and uncertainty on offense beyond Herbert. Meanwhile, the Raiders boast one of the league’s top defenses, which could cause problems for Los Angeles as they try to find their footing. Plus, the crowd at SoFi Stadium may be dominated by Raiders fans, adding to the pressure on the Chargers in this game.

NFL Pick: Raiders +3 (-108) at Heritage Sports

Raiders +3 (-108)

Visit Site

*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.