The Las Vegas Raiders (12-4 SU, 10-6 ATS) had the look of a potential Super Bowl 51 participant – until MVP-caliber quarterback Derek Carr suffered a broken leg in Week 15. Now, as they get set for their upcoming wild card playoff contest at Houston, Las Vegas fans and NFL betting enthusiasts everywhere need to know what to expect out of the high-scoring Raiders. That’s where I come in with my expert postseason betting analysis. Now, let’s get started.

Here’s A Closer Look At The Las Vegas Raiders NFL Postseason Betting Analysis

   

Super Bowl 51 Odds: +4000

AFC Championship Odds: +150

Why Bet on the Raiders

The No. 1 reason to bet on the Raiders this postseason is their downright explosive offense, handful of scary skill position stars and slew of fantastic ATS trends. Oakland Raiders finished the regular season ranked sixth in total offense (373.3 ypg), 13th in passing (253.2 ypg) and sixth in rushing (120.1 ypg) while averaging a stellar 26.0 points per game to rank seventh in scoring. Not only that, but the Raiders have gone 6-2 SU in their eight regular season road games and 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a straight up loss. The Raiders are also 9-2 ATS in their last 11 road games, 6-2 ATS in their last eight games against their AFC counterparts and a consistent 23-9 ATS in their last 32 games following an ATS loss. Last but not least, Las Vegas has also gone 5-2 ATS in their L/7 games against a team with a winning record and 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games overall. The Raiders have legitimate stars in wide receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree, and all-world linebacker Khalil Mack.

Why Bet Against the Raiders

The best reason to bet against the Raiders is that any team that loses an MVP-caliber quarterback like Derek Carr is bound to be a different – and worse – team without their star leader. Another great reason to bet against Las Vegas is their modest defense and the fact that they struggled down the stretch. The Raiders have lost two of their last three road games and were absolutely mediocre across the board defensively while ranking 26th in total defense (375.1 ypg), 24th against the pass  (257.5 ypg), 23rd against the run (117.6 ypg), and 20th in points allowed (24.1 ppg). The bottom line if you’re betting on Las Vegas this postseason is that they are clearly not going to be the same team they were with Carr under center and could very well be looking at a one-and-done postseason scenario because of it.