Los Angeles at Las Vegas

When will everyone catch on? The Chargers are a VERY good ballclub and Oakland is not. A 2-3 team very good? Yes! San Diego lost game one to Dallas - barely in a game in which the absence of Antonio Gates probably cost them the game. They lost another close one to a very good Denver team the next week. For a team that everyone was watching early in the season to determine if last year was a fluke, an 0-2 start was damaging. Lots of folks solidified an opinion that San Diego really was a fluke in 2004 and wasn't really that good. Big mistake. Since then, the Chargers crushed a very good Giants team and beat the World Champs by 24 points. They lost last Monday to Pittsburgh but Pitt is one of the few teams that are as good as the Chargers and they were in a great situation on Monday night while San Diego was due to be flat. That loss was expected in my mind, despite San Diego's strengths (why we backed Pitt in that one). Bottom line - San Diego is VERY good, especially since they have rediscovered LaDanian Tomlinson. This is the best 2-3 team you'll find and by season's end, they will be in the playoffs. Last week, LT couldn't break free from a Pittsburgh team that is absolutely lights-out against the run and had two weeks to prepare for the best best back in the league. But this is Oakland - owners of the 3rd worst defense in the NFL. Drew Brees, LT and Antonio Gates are going to absolutely feast here. Last year in two games between these clubs, the Chargers rushed for 175 and 176 yards respectively and Drew Brees completed 81% of his passes as the Chargers won by a collective score of 65-31! Brees has won his last three starts against the Silver and Black, throwing 7 touchdowns and no interceptions. Over the past two seasons, San Diego is 8-1 ATS on the road and 9-0 vs. teams with losing records. Meanwhile, Oakland is 0-7 at home in division games over the last three seasons. Take the much better team in a great matchup for them here. San Diego should be laying over a field goal. They win easy. Chargers for two stars.