Dan Johnson takes you through his preview, prediction, and pick for NFL Week 2’s Monday Night Football game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Los Angeles Chargers.

Allegiant under lights, number sitting at 46.5 with Los Angeles -3.5 and a moneyline split of -185 for the road side and +155 for the home side. Both teams walk in with real Week 1 juice. Justin Herbert carved Kansas City 25-of-34 for 318 yards and three touchdowns in a 27–21 win, spreading it to Keenan Allen (seven for 68 and a score), Ladd McConkey (six for 74), and Quentin Johnston (five for 79 and two scores) while Omarion Hampton logged 15 carries for 48 yards as the Chargers finished with 394 total yards, 319 through the air, and 90 on the ground. Geno Smith matched pace in a 20–13 win at New England, going 24-of-34 for 362 yards with nine completions of 20+ and strike points to Brock Bowers (five for 103), Jakobi Meyers (eight for 97), and Tre Tucker (54 and a touchdown). Indoors on fast turf, and everything we know about these teams say the opening notes matter more than the close. Below is my prediction for NFL Week 2’s Monday Night Football game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Los Angeles Chargers.

Here’s how I’ll play it. I’ll be pumping out these predictions for individual games all season, with plenty of coverage here on DraftKings Network. Follow my handle @dansby_edits for more betting plays.

The matchup tilts toward ball-in-the-air football. Los Angeles just threw for 318 against a championship defense and allowed 347 in return; the Chiefs completed 61.5% (24-of-39), which points to tempo and volume rather than a rock fight. Las Vegas gave up 276 passing yards to New England on 65.2% completions (30-of-46) while choking the run to 60 yards; then answered with 333 of its own through the air. The surface adds another edge: no wind tax, crisp footing, complete playbooks. When a total parks in the mid-40s and both passing games show immediate rhythm, you don’t need track-meet pace to get home; you need a couple of well-timed explosives and competent red-zone execution.

McConkey has cleared 58 receiving yards in nine straight and thrives in motion-and-burst concepts that create easy yards after catch. Allen remains the chain mover—six of his seven grabs last week (85.7%) went for first downs or a touchdown. Johnston’s two-score opener reintroduced a vertical finisher who punishes single coverage. Across the field, Bowers’ debut popped at 20.6 yards per catch and stretched seams that force lighter boxes, while Meyers’ 8-for-97 offered the steady intermediate answer when coverage rolled. If Bowers’ knee trims snaps, Michael Mayer can soak volume, but the bigger tell is distribution: Smith targeted eight different teammates and pushed downfield without tipping into turnover-worthy throws.

Los Angeles will be missing pieces on the second level and in the slot with Denzel Perryman and Elijah Molden sidelined, which softens some underneath leverage and puts more on Derwin James Jr. and the corners to handle seam-and-over routes. That doesn’t flip the script; it raises the Raiders’ ceiling for two drives, the exact number that often swings a mid-40s total. Las Vegas still has teeth up front—four sacks and nine quarterback hits at New England—and the defense held the Patriots to 1-for-3 in the red zone (33.3%) and 29.0% on third down. The Chargers handled disruption against Kansas City by leaning into rhythm throws and spacing that punish blitzes and slow-developing games; if the rush doesn’t land early, Herbert’s on-schedule accuracy wins.

Chargers vs. Raiders pick, best bet

Los Angeles is 6-0 to the over in its last six (100.0%). This series in Las Vegas has leaned high-scoring, with five of the last six at Allegiant clearing the total (83.3%). The Chargers swept last year 22–10 and 34–20; Herbert’s baseline in this building remains robust—four straight road appearances against the Raiders with 22+ completions. Las Vegas, for its part, has trended under in six of seven (85.7%), but that’s been about game states. Indoors and likely chasing at least one segment, the script nudges upward. Not to mention, for a team who threw the ball only 510 times last year, it sure seems like Greg Roman is dedicated to letting Justin Herbert get the most out of

Situationally, that’ll drive points. Los Angeles converted Kansas City’s third downs into a slog (five-for-14; 35.7%) and last season allowed just 35.6% on third down. The Raiders’ offense sat at 34.8% on third down last year and leaned into heavy sets; they used 12 personnel on 35.6% of snaps in 2024, and Bowers effectively turns that into 11.5-ish-personnel with his receiver-like usage. On money downs, Herbert’s breadth matters: nine different Chargers touched the ball in Brazil, and the staff paired 11-personnel spacing with heavy looks in the low red area to maintain a zero-turnover day. In short yardage, their 2024 tendency skewed run-heavy (81.0% runs on third-and-short, 19.0% throws), but the early script this year showed they’re comfortable flipping that if leverage presents itself.

Las Vegas’ nine penalties for 77 yards can’t repeat if they expect a win, but the Raiders can go on penalty streaks. Free first downs against Herbert become sevens, not threes. Los Angeles must clean a couple of protection tells that showed up late against Kansas City; Maxx Crosby will find them if they linger. Market and matchup both like the road side in a vacuum—Los Angeles is 6-3 ATS in the last nine against Las Vegas (66.7%) and 5-1 ATS across the last six on the road (83.3%)—but the cleaner wager is the one that aligns with how both staffs want to move the ball and how both quarterbacks are playing right now.

Call it Chargers 27, Raiders 24. We’ll take the over.

And, for props, if Greg Roman is going to lean pass, so will we. I like Justin Herbert o22.5 completions (-110) here. To reiterate some stats that back it up—Los Angeles threw on 57.6% of snaps last week (34 passes on 59 plays), and Herbert turned that into 25 completions at 73.5% with 9.4 yards per attempt and 318 yards. Indoors, pace and efficiency should hold. Las Vegas just faced 46 opponent attempts and allowed a 65.2% completion rate, which points to volume-driven catch totals even if depth of target fluctuates. The Raiders generated 9 QB hits and four sacks in Week 1, a profile that typically nudges offenses toward quicker throws and elevated completion counts. Herbert distributed targets broadly—three teammates cleared 68 receiving yards—which stabilizes conversion on third downs and two-minute sequences. With Los Angeles leaning pass-first in neutral situations and this matchup projecting toward points (over 46.5), a 35–38 attempt range at ~68–72% accuracy implies 24–27 completions as the median band, giving this over a strong edge.

Best bet: Chargers vs. Raiders o46.5 total points (-110)

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Best prop lean: Justin Herbert o22.5 passing completions (-110)

Tail it with me in the DKN Betting Group here!