The Oakland Raiders got ransacked by the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Now Purple Reign is one step closer to that playoff berth that the franchise and fans so desperately want and need. The Ravens’ chances of making the postseason have now moved to a hair under 50%. If you are planning on betting the playoffs or Super Bowl LIII, visit this Bookmakers Review to make sure that you are using the sportsbook that has everything you need.
Doubts About Jackson Dispelled?
Lamar Jackson has taken control over the Baltimore offense for two weeks, and the result has been two wins. His presence behind center has blown the doors off the Ravens’ heretofore stagnant run game. That is the beauty of dual-threat quarterback. But is this something that is sustainable? We’ve all know that Jackson would be a great running back type in the NFL, but can he get the job done with his arm as well?
Rumors are flying because the coaching staff is ‘not naming starters’ yet. Was the three-game skid Joe Flacco’s fault, or is it just the fact that Jackson was playing against the Bengals and Raiders? Then begs the question: does it really matter? When things are working, things are working. And in this fickle business, you probably shouldn’t mess with a good thing.
With Jackson behind center, opposing teams know what’s coming; the ball is going to be stuffed down their throat on the ground. But can they stop it? Perhaps the Saints who have been fantastic at shutting down the run could slow Jackson and Gus Edwards down, but what about the next couple of teams on the schedule?
The Atlanta Falcons are 19th at stopping the run, and the Kansas City Chiefs are 20th so, probably not. It might be worth giving Jackson the Start next Sunday against the Falcons to see if the magic continues, even if Joe Cool feels fine.
Baltimore Ravens @ Atlanta Falcons
This game has been lined out tightly. The Ravens have been set as -2.5 at DraftKings and as a full field goal favorite at Westgate in Las Vegas. The Falcons have been streaky, losing three straight, then winning three, then losing three more again.
The Ravens have had some road struggles over the last couple of season. Of 19 road games, they have only won six. But on the bright side, the Ravens are 3-2 in their series against the Falcons and have outscored Atlanta 110-76 in those meetings.
A Few More Numbers
The Falcons have been scoring a whopping 30 points at home while putting up 335 yards per game on the season. However, that doesn’t reflect recent performance. The Cowboys held the Falcons to just 19 in Mercedez-Benz Stadium, and the Saints just held them to 17. Over in Cleveland a few weeks ago, the Browns held Atlanta to only 16. So over the last three games, they are averaging just 17.33 points per game overall.
Despite some road woes, the Ravens are holding teams to 19.2 points when they are the visiting team, keeping the passing game below 224 yards and opponents’ rushing just under 90 yards per game. To make matters worse (numerically) for the Falcons, they have only won 25% of the time this season as underdogs and just 28% as underdogs since 2017.
Prediction
Look for Jackson to get another opportunity as the Ravens brass will recognize the Falcons’ less than stellar run defense.
Ravens win and cover the 2.5 points.
