ExtremeRavens Posted Friday at 11:00 AM Posted Friday at 11:00 AM The Ravens enter the season with lofty expectations from fans, themselves and sportsbooks. Baltimore, despite not having won a Super Bowl in over a decade, is the betting favorite to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. That’s what happens when a team has an MVP candidate at quarterback in Lamar Jackson, a defense loaded with All-Pro talent like Kyle Hamilton and a highly regarded staff returning its coach (John Harbaugh), offensive coordinator (Todd Monken) and defensive coordinator (Zach Orr). “It’s 100% deserved,” Covers senior betting analyst Jason Logan told The Baltimore Sun in an interview. “The Ravens are one of the best two-way teams in the league.” FanDuel lists the Ravens and Eagles as co-favorites, with each team holding +700 odds to win the title. The Bills (+750), Chiefs (+850), Lions (+1200) and Packers (+1300) are close behind. “If someone handed me a ticket on Baltimore to win the Super Bowl, I would say, ‘Thank you,’” Logan said. Always the favorite? Baltimore opens the season against the Bills, and the Ravens are 1 1/2-point favorites. Earlier this month, the Ravens were short underdogs but key injuries for Buffalo have played a role in shifting the line. As of Week 1, the Ravens’ look poised to spend every week as the betting favorite. This could change, of course, if Baltimore suffers key injuries or falls short of initial expectations. But to start the season, the Ravens are expected to make a strong push for the best record in the NFL and the Super Bowl. FanDuel offers +8000 odds on the Ravens to go 17-0, and the sportsbook lists the Ravens at -120 to win 12 or more regular-season contests. Fans expect a similar win total. Some of the Ravens’ toughest early season tests — games with the Lions, Texans and Rams — all come in the friendly confines of M&T Bank Stadium. “I think Baltimore gets the benefit of having a lot of those tougher opponents having to come to them,” Logan said. Road tilts with the Bills, Chiefs, Bengals and Packers pose the most obvious threats for losses. Best bet For best bets related to Baltimore that don’t include Super Bowl futures, Logan suggests looking at the Ravens to simply win the AFC North. They’re a huge favorite in the division at -155 on FanDuel, but Logan has a hard time seeing anyone else taking the division crown. Cincinnati (+240) has defensive problems. Pittsburgh (+550) has an aging quarterback in Aaron Rodgers. And the Browns (+3000) might be one of the worst teams in the NFL. “It’s not a long-shot bet, but considering what this team can do and the different ways they can win games … for me, it’s a surefire winner,” Logan said. Baltimore’s season begins Sunday night against the Bills. 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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