Las Vegas Raiders vs Los Angeles Rams Betting Preview
The 5-7 Raiders head to Los Angeles on Thursday night to take on the 3-8 Rams in primetime. Will the Raiders continue to make a run at the AFC playoffs? Sportsmemo NFL handicapper Eric Pauly shares his thoughts and makes a free, expert Las Vegas Raiders vs Los Angeles Rams betting pick!
Las Vegas Raiders vs Los Angeles Rams Week 14 Betting Odds
Thursday, December 8 | Week 14 NFL Betting Notes |
---|---|
Point Spread: | Las Vegas Raiders -6 vs Los Angeles Rams |
Total: | o/u 44.5 Points |
Location: | SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, CA |
Game Time: | 8:15pm ET / 5:15pm PT (Odds Above Courtesy of DraftKings) |
TV: | Prime Video |
Las Vegas Raiders vs Los Angeles Rams Betting Analysis
After a slow start to the season, the Raiders have quietly won three straight games and are still technically in the hunt for a post-season birth. The Raiders need some help, but this is a must-win game for Las Vegas to make the playoffs.
On the other hand, the Rams are easily one of the worst defending Super Bowl champions ever. And before you ask, no, Baker Mayfield, who is terrible, cannot save them. This team is hopeless.
Raiders Defense Must Keep Improving
While Las Vegas had a very rocky start to the 2022 season, they never seemed to give up on their first-year head coach Josh McDaniels.
This team has played hard all season long, and now they have a serious shot at making the playoffs. It still is a stretch, but for those dreams to have a chance to become the reality, they need to win in Los Angeles.
Even without Waller and Renfrow, this Raiders offense has still been dynamic. The Raiders are 8th in the NFL in yards and 9th in points this season, and they are getting hot now when it matters.
The Raiders’ ability to get the ground game going has kept this offense in balance, and Josh Jacobs has been nothing short of amazing. On a per-drive basis, the Raiders are 4th in time, 6th in plays, 3rd in yards, and 8th in points.
Carr is averaging 6.4 net yards per attempt, and he has been sacked just 23 times. The Raiders are 23rd on third down and 29th in the red zone, and those two inefficiencies are holding back this Raiders’ offense.
Despite this offensive line not being the best on paper, the Raiders have a formidable offense that can go toe to toe with some of the best in the league.
Where the Raiders really struggle, and where they have struggled for years, is on defense. The Raiders don’t tackle well, they do not cover well, and they do not rush the passer well.
They have improved in the latter two areas over the past few weeks, but they still need to create more consistent pressure if they want to make the postseason and beat the Rams. On a per-drive basis, the Raiders are 26th in time, 27th in plays, 29th in yards, and 28th in points.
Las Vegas is also 26th on third down and 26th in the red zone. Las Vegas cannot stop anybody, and even with all the injuries the Rams have on offense, this is a key problem for Las Vegas.
Rams Pick Up Baker Mayfield
There is not much to say about the 2022 Los Angeles Rams. The injury bug got them, and this team is in shambles. However, this team will continue to play hard, and they will be looking to play spoiler over the end of the season.
Los Angeles picked up Baker Mayfield, and this was a low-risk move. Mayfield has been horrible this season, but with Matt Stafford’s future unknown, there was no reason not to take a shot with Mayfield. This Rams team is 29th in points and 31st in yards this season.
On a per-drive basis, the Rams are 18th in time, 22nd in plays, 29th in yards, and 27th in points. They have mostly third and fourth-string wide receivers and linemen playing. No one can save this team, but they will play hard for coach McVay.
The Rams’ defense is banged up, but they are doing much better than the offense. The Rams are 14th in yards but 22nd in points against.
On a per-drive basis, the Rams are 25th in time, 25th in plays, 18th in yards, and 18th in points. Los Angeles is one of the best red zone defenses in the NFL, and this unit is playing well. The Rams get pressure at a decent rate, but Aaron Donald will unlikely play in this game.
Las Vegas Raiders vs Los Angeles Rams Prediction
Given the magnitude of this game for Las Vegas and how well they played recently, I do not imagine them laying an egg. However, 6 is a lot of points, and I do not feel all that comfortable laying that number with the Raiders.
On the other hand, the Rams’ offense is completely broken, so I do not trust them. 6 is also not a key number, so this is not a spot to back Los Angeles. I understand that teasing totals are -EV bets, but I think teasing the Raiders to ML and the total down to 38.5 is the best way to attack this matchup.
Prediction: 2-Leg 6-Point Teaser: Las Vegas PK/Over 38.5 points -120
Opening Line Report | NFL Week 14
Listen to Teddy Covers and Drew Martin every Monday during the NFL season as they preview opening lines for next week’s games. This past Monday they previewed Las Vegas Raiders vs Los Angeles Rams in Week 14 among other games giving their expert betting analysis.
NFL Odds Board
WagerTalk’s Live Odds Screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the NFL point spreads, totals and betting percentages for all of the Week 14 games, including this Las Vegas Raiders vs Los Angeles Rams showdown, from your desktop or phone.
**************************************************
Meet the Author
Eric Pauly, @slimeaction on Twitter, graduated from Binghamton University with a degree in Finance. Eric is a die-hard Washington Commanders and New York Knicks fan and enjoys watching and writing about the NFL, NBA and MLB. His favorite gambling movements include hitting a +1000 future on Washington to win the NFC East in 2020 and predicting Jonathan Taylor’s breakout season with a +900 ticket for him to win the 2021 NFL rushing title. Aside from the sports betting industry, and making a brilliant Cleveland Browns vs Los Angeles Chargers betting pick, Eric also enjoys good eats, dynasty fantasy football leagues, daily fantasy sports and playing the guitar.
Looking for more free sports picks and sports betting tips?
- Latest Betting Odds and Public Action: Vegas lines updated in real time, including who the public is betting on.
- Last Minute Handicapping Advice: Check out our extensive library of handicapping tips and advice from professional Vegas handicappers (we also recommend taking the time to look over our sports betting tips video library)
- Want an expert opinion? Check out the latest Free Sports Picks and Best Free NFL Bets from our team of expert sports handicappers.
Make sure to bookmark all the above!