With NFL MVP and two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson at quarterback, the Ravens play few games without the national spotlight. This is especially true at the start of the 2024 season.
Baltimore (1-2) opened the season Thursday night, securing a prime-time spot for a game against the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs. In Week 3, Baltimore faced the Cowboys in “American Game of the Week” on Fox. This Sunday, the Ravens take center stage once again when the Jackson Ravens host Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills for “Sunday Night Football” on NBC.
“Probably, right now, the best football team in the National Football League,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said of the Bills. “That’s what everyone says, and you definitely see it on tape.”
The Ravens are 1-1 in their two highly anticipated games this fall, winning 28-25 as a small favorite against the Cowboys and losing 27-20 as a small underdog against the Chiefs. Sunday’s game against Buffalo could be the toughest test yet. Not only is Buffalo 3-0, but the Bills also have the best point differential in the NFL at plus-64.
Despite Buffalo’s strong start, oddsmakers give Jackson and Baltimore a slight edge over the undefeated visitors. Baltimore is a 2 1/2-point favorite among most sportsbooks legally available in Maryland, including DraftKings and FanDuel. If the line ends with Baltimore as the favorite, it will be the third time this season the Ravens have bet on the favorites. This is the second time Buffalo has been an underdog, as the Bills beat Miami, 31-10, earlier this season, also as a 2 1/2-point underdog.
The game total stands at 46 1/2 points on most betting platforms. Baltimore’s first three games of the season have all scored at least 47 points combined, and all three of their totals have exceeded that of 2024.
The Ravens are a -130 moneyline favorite on BetMGM and DraftKings, meaning bettors need to bet $130 on the Ravens to win and get a $100 profit.
Ravens vs. Bills Best Bet
Harbaugh has spent much of the last two weeks answering questions about his team’s slow finishing. Why does the team collapse at the end of the match?
In week two, Baltimore coughed up a double-digit lead against the mediocre Raiders. The loss sent Baltimore to 0-2, although it bounced back with a win against Dallas. However, this match was not without its late game shenanigans. The Ravens’ dominant defense stopped covering receivers and the offense went cold. A 28-6 lead turned into a 28-25 victory.
With Baltimore’s fourth-quarter performance an ongoing mystery, have the Ravens cover -1 1/2 points in the first half. The bet has odds of +105 on FanDuel, and that means backing a historically great quarterback in the first half. Jackson is 52-32-1 against the spread in the first half in his NFL, according to Action Network. Among 260 quarterbacks over the past 20 years, Jackson has the best first-half ATS record.
“He really changed the way guys play the game,” Allen, who finished fifth in MVP voting in 2023, said earlier this week.
The Bills and Ravens are among the best teams in the AFC, and Sunday’s battle should be competitive. Buffalo is a bit overrated after wins against the Cardinals, Dolphins and Jaguars, while Baltimore is still underrated due to its collapse against Las Vegas. Jackson is 6-1 in his career on “Sunday Night Football” and the Ravens should start fast against the Bills. As for finishing, it’s hard to say how Baltimore will close out a game these days.
Best bet: Ravens -1 1/2 in first half (+105 odds on FanDuel)
