Raiders Vs. Chargers: Predictions, Week 7 Picks, Consensus And Betting Lines
By Abraham Gutierrez
In spite of the fact that the majority of the betting population doesn't believe the Oakland Raiders will be able to hang with the San Diego Chargers, there's plenty of evidence to suggest otherwise. This NFL Week 7 contest will take place at Qualcomm Stadium, a place where the Silver and Black has made itself at home against the spread in past years.
For starters, the Raiders [+6] come into this game listed as six-point underdogs against the hosting Chargers [-6]. The OVER/UNDER for this AFC West clash is set at a combined total of 47½ points, and alternate betting lines go as follows: Oakland [+160] vs. San Diego [-185].
Back to the issue in question, can the Raiders go into Southern California and come away with either a straight-up win or an ATS cover with two field goals as a margin for error? The first piece of information suggesting this is more than possible is Oakland's record in its last six games played at Qualcomm, where the visiting club is 5-1 against the spread.
Raiders fans also have other reasons to smile in this particular in this matchup, as Oaktown is 4-1 in its last five ATS meetings with the Bolts. More good news for the road dogs is the fact that and the underdog is 11-1 in the last 12 showdowns between these bitter foes.
Raiders ATS Trends To Consider (Week 7)
As stated above, there's no shortage of information supporting the notion that Oakland is the smart ATS bet. Looking to get back into the win column for the first time in three weeks, Derek Carr & Co. have shown a tendency to bounce back following weak offensive outings. This is evident by the fact that Oakland is 5-1 in its last six games after scoring less than 15 points in its previous contest.
Another encouraging sign is that, despite being a young team, this squad has shown maturity and resiliency. ATS stats indicate that Oakland is 5-2 after both, straight-up and ATS losses in its last seven time outs. But not everything is "peaches" for Raider Nation, as this team is 3-8 in its last 11 games versus the AFC West, and 1-4 in the following areas: Week 7 games, road games and in ATS contests when facing a team with a losing record.
Chargers ATS Trends To Consider (Week 7)
It's almost hard to believe that an overwhelming 63 percent of all wagers registered have been for the Bolts to cover. The reason being is because there's a surmountable amount of ATS evidence warning bettors to stay away from this ballclub. The lone positive for those putting money on the Bolts is that they are 13-5 in their last 18 ATS games after their defense allows more than 350 total yards the week prior. From that point on, the bottom falls out, as the remaining ATS trends tell a very compelling story.
The first warning signs are that San Diego has an ATS record of 2-5 in their last seven games in Week 7, and after accumulating less than 90 rushing yards in its seven previous contests. This team is also 3-11 on grass, 1-4 after an ATS win, and 1-5 after accumulating more than 350 total yards and in their last 6 games played in the month of October.
Raiders vs. Chargers Predictions: Oakland Raiders [+6]
Free NFL Week 7 ATS Picks 2015:
- San Francisco 49ers: +5
- Buffalo Bills: -5
- St. Louis Rams: -5
- Kansas City Chiefs: +2½
- Miami Dolphins: -4½
- New York Jets: +9½
- Detroit Lions: +2½
- Atlanta Falcons: -4½
- New Orleans Saints: +4
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: +4
- Oakland Raiders: +6
- New York Giants: -6
- Philadelphia Eagles: +3
- Baltimore Ravens: +7½
Abe Gutierrez's (Twitter: @GutierrezAbe) passion led him to ditch law school journey in order to launch his own publishing company. His expertise make him a valued addition to Examiner.com, AXS.com and the CBS-Sports family. Some of his work can be found on CBS-Miami (Dolphins), CBS-LosAngeles (Chargers), CBS-BayArea (Raiders), CBS-NewYork (NY Jets), CBS-TampaBay (Buccaneers), AXS.com, Examiner.com and other online publications.