Ever since the Baltimore Ravens took an ugly home loss against the Cleveland Browns on September 29, they have not lost. That’s six straight wins, and four straight games in which they have scored 30 points or more. The first two wins were by a combined nine points, but then the last four have been by a combined 101 points, including a 41-7 shellacking of the Houston Texans last week. Now they head west to take on the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football, who are muddling along at 6-4 and are at risk of missing the playoffs if they don’t pick things up a bit.
They have mixed dominant performances (such as a 27-point win at Atlanta and a 10-point win over the Bears) with head-scratching losses (such as that five-point loss to the Steelers and that 13-point home loss to the 49ers). Can the Rams shake that post-Super Bowl hangover that has a team that started 3-0 before losing three in a row and four of seven on the brink of postseason elimination? Or will they surprise a Baltimore team that looks unstoppable right now? We have your Monday Night Football sports betting insights right here.
Ravens vs Rams 2019 NFL Week 12 Odds, Preview & Pick
We’re not taking the bait. As the stakes get higher, our focus narrows. pic.twitter.com/HSA4WAp5Wl
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 22, 2019
- When: Monday, November 25, 2019, 8:15 pm ET
- Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
- TV: ESPN
- Radio: Westwood One
- Live Stream: ESPN+
- NFL Week 12 Odds: Baltimore -3
Why should you bet on the Ravens?
The Ravens continue to get better and better performances out of quarterback Lamar Jackson. He added to his MVP resume with a 17 for 24 game last week, throwing for 222 yards and four scores — and running nine times for 86 yards. Tailback Gus Edwards added 112 yards on the ground on just eight carries, scoring a touchdown. Jackson now has 2,258 passing yards and a 19:5 TD:INT ratio, and he leads the team in rushing with 788 yards and six more touchdowns.
Baltimore has scored 34.1 points per game this season and permitted just 19.6, which explains that 8-2 record. Their defense centers around a swarming pass rush that played a major role in stifling Tom Brady in the Ravens’ 17-point win over the New England Patriots and just overwhelmed Deshaun Watson in their win over the Texans last week. If you like the Ravens, you see that pass rush befuddling Rams quarterback Jared Goff, who has shown that he will make dreadful mistakes when under duress, and Jackson shredding the Rams’ defense.
Why should you put your money on the Rams?
Jared Goff did show that he could be a serviceable game manager last week, going 11 for 18 for 173 yards. He did have an interception, but the Rams’ defense was able to keep the Bears from moving the ball. Todd Gurley II gashed the Chicago defense for 97 yards and a score on 25 carries. The Rams’ defense was the real hero, permitting just 267 yards and seven points on the night. On the year, Goff has an 11:10 TD:INT ratio, with many of those picks coming when he is taking pressure. Brandin Cooks is going to miss this game, and Robert Woods is questionable.
When it comes to picking which team will cover, the real question is what the Rams are going to do to counter the Baltimore offense. They were able to clamp down on the Bears’ offensive scheme all night long, making it easy to pick up the win. However, Jackson is dangerous with both his arm and his legs, making the Ravens’ offense much more of a problem. When the Rams have the ball, will Goff & Company be able to keep up with the Ravens? If you like Los Angeles, you see defensive coordinator Wade Phillips putting together a scheme that will solve the problem — as he has many times in the past.
Final Score Prediction
At the start of the season, I predicted that the Cleveland Browns would win the AFC North while the Ravens were a year or so away from seeing Lamar Jackson reach full potential. It’s clear that I was wrong about both teams, as the Browns are struggling to find consistency while the Ravens are playing outstanding ball. The Rams are having a difficult time getting the same results they found a year ago, so I see the Ravens coming west and delivering a 27-16 win.
