Oakland Raiders vs. San Diego Chargers: NFL Week 17 Betting Odds and Predictions

Oakland Raiders at San Diego Chargers
Sunday, 12/30/12, 4:25 PM EST, TV: CBS
Opening Point Spread: San Diego -10.5
Current Betting Line: San Diego -10
Opening Total: 40
Current Total: 39
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

Raiders vs. Broncos NFL Preview — Oakland Raiders RB Darren McFadden hasn’t been able to get going this year

Oakland will travel south to play its final game of the 2012 NFL regular season, as it looks to bounce back from a 17-6 loss to the Carolina Panthers as 9.5-point road underdogs, while going UNDER the total in six straight games. The Raiders have chosen Terrelle Pryor to lead them under center in this AFC West matchup, as the former Ohio State Buckeyes star will be making his first-ever start as a professional. “We know what his strengths are, we know what his weaknesses are,” commented Raiders first-year head coach Dennis Allen. Oakland is 11-6 ATS versus division opponents the last two-plus years, which is important to consider when looking over the pro football odds page for Week 17.

The Raiders will be looking for their third straight victory at Qualcomm Stadium, which would match the Silver and Black’s longest win streak at the venue. Oakland is still just 3-15 in the last 18 meetings in this series, which includes a 22-14 setback as one-point home favorites on Sept. 10. With 19 more pass attempts, the offense will break the 2002 team record of 619 attempts in a season.

San Diego has alternated wins and losses over its last four games, but it has lost the statistical battle in six consecutive contests. The Chargers are expected to fire head coach Norv Turner after another disappointing season, while changes may also be coming in the front office. “There’s a lot of speculation,” commented Turner this week. Quarterback Philip Rivers is still the leader offensively, throwing for 3,455 yards in 15 games, but he’ll fall short of the 4,000-yard mark for the first time since the 2007 campaign. San Diego is 7-9 ATS versus division foes over the last two-plus seasons, with the UNDER going 9-8 in that situation.

The Chargers will have a good opportunity to put up points in their regular-season finale, considering the Raiders rank 29th in the league in points allowed. Rivers will need to protect the football in order for that to happen, as he’s committed 22 turnovers. San Diego has the NFL’s fourth-best run defense, which will make it hard for Oakland’s Darren McFadden to get going, who is averaging just 3.3 yards per carry on the year.