Thursday Night Football Best Bets: Las Vegas Raiders vs. Los Angeles Rams

After three days without football, the NFL makes its triumphant return to primetime. Tonight, we take a little stroll down to Inglewood, Calif., where the reeling Los Angeles Rams (3-9) battle the surging Las Vegas Raiders (5-7).

Week 14 is officially here, and with that comes some best bets. Let’s read on and meet each of them, shall we?

Click here for betting odds. Please gamble responsibly. Have a problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Best Bet No. 1: Raiders -6.0 (-110)

On average, I’m typically fairly wary of giving up six points, especially to a road team. But these are unprecedented times in Los Angeles for the defending Super Bowl champions, to say the least. The Raiders enter tonight’s game on a three-game winning streak, led in large part by the phenomenal play of star running back Josh Jacobs. Although he was limited in practice this week, Jacobs has firmly established himself as one of football’s most electrifying backs and is one of the main reasons for the Raiders’ recent surge. Even with the acquisition of Baker Mayfield, who was brought in this week to help supplement the QB position, I think this is going to be a long night for the Rams. In addition, the black and silver actually have something to play for, while their counterparts have essentially conceded the 2022 NFL campaign as a wash. Take the Raiders and the points in this one.

Best Bet No. 2: Cam Akers (LAR) Over 44.5 Rushing Yards (-110)

My first impression was that 44.5 total rushing yards was a fairly low mark for Akers given the uncertainty of the Rams offense heading into Thursday night. Although he only amassed 60 yards on the ground last week, Akers had 17 carries and played a prominent role in LA’s offensive scheme. More importantly, he has looked much better and is playing with a lot more confidence over the past few weeks. Although this season is a “lost one” for the defending champs, I still expect Akers to get a fairly heavy workload in L.A.’s backfield. Factor in a (potential) new QB in town, and this seems like easy money for prospective NFL bettors. Take the over on Akers’ 44.5 rushing prop.

Best Bet No. 3: Under 44.5 Total Points (-110)

For much of the week, the line between the Raiders and Rams sat at 44.5 total points, but it has since dropped to 43.5. Luckily for me, I locked this one in early, and am siding with the under. With Matthew Stafford on injured reserve and the Rams battling a plethora of injuries on both offense and defense, points will certainly be hard to come by for the home team. In addition, there will be plenty of new faces and schemes to sift through on the LA sideline. Factor that into the lethal running game that comes with Josh Jacobs, and I think the vast majority of the game will be played on the ground. I also anticipate the Raiders playing with the lead for most of the game, which spells a lot more carries and should eat a ton of clock. Don’t hesitate for a second here. Lean towards the under.


Check us out on our socials:
Twitter: @PTSTNews and @TalkPrimeTime
Facebook Page: Prime Time Sports Talk
Join our Facebook Group: Prime Time Sports Talk
Instagram: @primetimesportstalk

Follow Dom Lunardo on Twitter @DLunardoNHL1

Main Image Credit:

Embed from Getty Images