ExtremeRavens Posted December 12 Posted December 12 Ordinarily, an 8-5 Ravens team facing the 2-11 Giants wouldn’t be much of a matchup. It still might not — betting odds say the Ravens should cruise to a win — but Baltimore has struggled against bad teams this season. John Harbaugh’s team has losses to the 2-11 Raiders and 3-10 Browns this season, two ghastly defeats that are pushing them down the AFC playoff picture and likely into the wild-card round. Baltimore can’t afford to overlook anyone. “We’re locked in on the Giants,” safety Kyle Hamilton said. The Ravens are a superior team than the Giants, and they’re looking to make a statement heading into their stretch run. Baltimore wants to make a push for the AFC North, and that could require a perfect 4-0 record down the stretch. Style points don’t technically matter against the Giants, but beating up on New York after losing two of their past three games might help alleviate recent frustrations. Is a blowout in the cards Sunday? “I’m hype,” quarterback Lamar Jackson told reporters about returning to the field after a bye week. What are the odds? The sports betting odds indicate a blowout is on the horizon. Spread: Ravens by 16 1/2 points (FanDuel) Total: 42 1/2 points Moneyline: Ravens -1500, Giants +870 According to Action Network, Sunday will be the first time in 50 years that the Giants close as at least 14-point home underdogs. They’re historically bad, and the Ravens are still viewed by betting markets as one of the NFL’s best teams. That stems from Lamar Jackson’s greatness. Baltimore’s star quarterback and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Award winner has 29 touchdown passes to just three interceptions, spearheading perhaps the league’s best offense. New York’s defense, which ranks fourth-worst in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game, will face a stiff test against Jackson and running back Derrick Henry. The Ravens’ bruising rusher ranks second in the NFL with 1,407 rushing yards through 13 games. Is there a good betting angle? Given the massive spread, it’s hard to back the Ravens. Beating an opposing NFL team by 17 points is hard, even if the Giants are horrendous. New York has only lost three of its 11 games by that margin this season, and it played the Commanders (twice) and Steelers within one possession. There’s not much value in taking Baltimore’s moneyline, either. Looking into player prop bets is an option for bettors scanning the board, but I’ll place a bet on the Giants’ team total. FanDuel sets New York’s team scoring total at 13 1/2 points. Give me the under. New York scored 11 its last time out against New Orleans, and it has been held under 14 points five times this season. The Ravens have played much better defense of late, allowing an average of 21 points per game against the Steelers, Chargers and Eagles. New York’s offense isn’t in the same league as those three teams, which Pro Football Focus grades as the NFL’s fifth-worst offense. With backup quarterback Tommy DeVito expected to start for New York, points will be even harder to come by than usual. Baltimore’s defense is improving and had a bye week to prepare for the Giants, which should only help as they look to put together a rare dominant defensive showing. I’m expecting the Ravens’ defense to conjure up one of its best performances of 2024, limiting the lifeless Giants to fewer than 14 points. “I think we’re trending up, which is a good thing going into the playoffs,” Hamilton said. Best bet: Giants to score fewer than 13 1/2 points Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article Quote
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