TNF: Battle For The Bottom Of The AFC West

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Zach Beier & Chubbs Scheffler
December 13, 2023

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Developing Stories 📰

On Thursday Night Football the teams at the bottom of the AFC West, the Los Angeles Chargers and the Las Vegas Raiders, will play in a critical matchup. Although neither team is out of playoff contention, they find themselves trailing by two games for the last Wildcard spot making a strong finish crucial. In their recent games the Chargers suffered a 24-7 defeat at home to the Broncos, while the Raiders were part of an NFL history-making game with a 3-0 loss to the Vikings. Despite their offensive struggles the Raiders covered the 3.5-point spread without scoring a single point. In a prior meeting this season, the Chargers emerged victorious with a 24-17 win at home.

The Chargers, known for their talented rosters and playoff underperformance stand at a disappointing 5-8, placing 12th in the AFC. Coach Brandon Staley, brought in to change their fortunes, faces uncertainty with the team's current state. Compounding their challenges, star quarterback Justin Herbert is out due to a fractured index finger, potentially paving the way for Easton Stick, a seldom-seen 28-year-old quarterback out of North Dakota State, to take the field.

Stick, a fifth-round draft pick in 2019, has minimal NFL experience, with only two games under his belt. Against the Broncos last week, he went 13-24 for 179 yards but failed to secure a touchdown. The Chargers may heavily rely on running back Austin Ekeler, who averages 49.7 rushing yards per game with five touchdowns and contributes significantly as the team's third-leading receiver. With Stick at quarterback, expect extra emphasis on handoffs and screen passes to Ekeler. Key receiver Keenan Allen, having a standout season, ranks fourth in the NFL for total receiving yards, averaging 95.6 yards per game with seven touchdowns. With injuries affecting the receiving corps, rookie Quentin Johnston faces added pressure to prove his first-round pick status.

The Raiders, having participated in a rare 3-0 game, aim to rebound from their offensive struggles. Quarterback Aidan O'Connell, starting in the absence of Jimmy Garappolo, faces the Chargers after a 21-32 performance against the Vikings. In seven games, O'Connell averages 195 yards per game with a 4-7 TD-INT ratio. The Raiders need more production from their talented receiving corps, including star Davante Adams, who has been limited to modest numbers. Adams averages 66.7 yards per game with four touchdowns, while Jakobi Meyers adds 51.3 yards per game with six touchdowns.

Running back Josh Jacobs leads the rushing attack with 805 yards on the season, emphasizing the need for offensive diversity. As the Raiders look to revive their season, O'Connell's performance and improved offensive output become critical factors in securing a victory against the Chargers.

Headlines 🚨

On This Day in Sport History: 1996 Free agent Roger Clemens signs with Toronto Blue Jays,

2015 81st Heisman Trophy Award is Derrick Henry RB from Alabama,

2015 Conor McGregor knocks out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds to win his 1st featherweight title in Las Vegas.

The Minnesota Vikings will start Nick Mullens against the Bengals and become their 4th starting quarterback of the year.

The NFL to announce a 2024 game in Brazil, Brazil is ranked the third most watches country for the NFL.

Miami QB Tyler Van Dyke the 3-year starter has announced he will be transferring to Wisconsin.

Duke QB Riley Leonard announced he will be transferring to Notre Dame.

Drake Maye, one of the top NFL prospects will skip UNC’s bowl game and enter the NFL Draft.

John Rahm signed with Liv golf for a reportedly multiyear $300 million contract.

Nick Kyrgios says he no longer wants to play tennis as doubts grow about the one-time Wimbledon finalist's ability to return from serious knee and wrist injuries.

Trends 📈📉 via Oddsshark

🏀 Pelicans at Wizards

  • The total has gone UNDER in 16 of New Orleans's last 21 games on the road

  • The total has gone UNDER in 8 of New Orleans's last 11 games when playing on the road against Washington

  • Washington is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against New Orleans

  • Washington is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against New Orleans

🏀 76ers at Pistons

  • Philadelphia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Detroit

  • The total has gone OVER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 5 games

  • The total has gone OVER in 8 of Detroit's last 11 games when playing at home against Philadelphia

  • The total has gone OVER in 10 of Detroit's last 14 games when playing Philadelphia

🏀 Hawks at Raptors

  • The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games

  • The total has gone OVER in 9 of Atlanta's last 13 games when playing Toronto

  • Toronto is 13-5 ATS in its last 18 games when playing at home against Atlanta

  • Toronto is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games when playing at home against Atlanta

🏀 Hornet at Heat

  • The total has gone OVER in 6 of Charlotte's last 7 games when playing on the road against Miami

🏀 Pacers at Bucks

  • The total has gone OVER in 6 of Indiana's last 7 games when playing Milwaukee

  • The total has gone OVER in 9 of Indiana's last 11 games on the road

  • Milwaukee is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games at home

  • The total has gone OVER in 6 of Milwaukee's last 7 games when playing Indiana

🏀 Nets at Suns

  • The total has gone OVER in 11 of Brooklyn's last 13 games when playing on the road against Phoenix

  • The total has gone OVER in 5 of Brooklyn's last 6 games when playing Phoenix

  • The total has gone OVER in 6 of Phoenix's last 7 games at home

🏈 Chargers at Raiders

  • The total has gone UNDER in 5 of LA Chargers's last 5 games on the road

  • The total has gone UNDER in 10 of LA Chargers's last 11 games

  • The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Las Vegas's last 8 games at home

  • The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Las Vegas's last 6 games

Public Money 🤑 via VSiN at 9AMCT

🏀 NBA

40% of bets and 64% of money is on MIL -6.5

16% of bets and 74% of money is on UNDER 211.5 MEM at HOU

🎓🏀 NCAAB

39% of bets and 62% of money is on UNDER 149.5 #9 CREI at UNLV

🏈 NFL

58% of bets and 71% of money is on LV -3

Future Odds 🔮 via Bovada Sportsbook

Picks 🔒

Suns -2 | Suns should start some momentum looking like the team they were the previous couple years. The Nets are in the lower tier of defense this year and there’s a possibility Durant doesn’t play.

Raiders -3 | The Chargers are starting Easton Stick at quarterback, and he was not even good enough to be on a roster from 2021-2022. The Raiders defense now has half a game of film to watch on Stick, and will be able to find his several weaknesses.