Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills (3-0) travel to Baltimore to face reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson and the Ravens (1-2).
The Bills lead the NFL in average points per game (37.3), while allowing only 16 points per game to opponents. They’ve started the season 3-0, but they’re +2.5 underdogs on the road this Sunday night.
The Ravens won their first game of the season in Week 3 against the Cowboys, but they nearly let the Cowboys come back in the fourth quarter. They are now 1-2 on the season, averaging 23 points per game on offence and allowing 26 points per game against opponents. They are favoured at home by -2.5.
The game total has been set at 46.5 at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Who will triumph in this AFC showdown? Let us break it down.
Bills vs Ravens Odds, Spread, and Total
Moneyline: Ravens -2.5, Bills +2.5
Ravens -130 vs. Bills +110 for a total of 46.5. How To Watch
Date: Sunday September 29, 2024.
Game Time: 8:20 p.m. EST.
Venue: M&T Bank Stadium
How To Watch: NBC
Ravens Record: 1-2 Bills. Record: 3-0.
Bills vs Ravens Betting Trends
Buffalo is 3-0 ATS this season, while Baltimore is 1-2 ATS.
Baltimore is 0-2 at home this season.
All of Baltimore’s games have been over this year.
The Bills games have gone over twice.
These sides have only had two meetings since 2021. Buffalo won both.
Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen are 6-1 in their careers on Sunday Night Football.
Bills vs Ravens Injury Reports
Bills’ Injury Report
CB Taron Johnson, a problematic linebacker. Terrel Bernard: dubious.
Ravens’ Injury Report
There were no major injuries.
Bills vs Ravens Key Players to Watch: Bills RB James Cook
Cook has scored four touchdowns in his last two outings. He is averaging 100 all-purpose yards per game this season. Joe Brady’s run-heavy offence has been productive, with the Bills running the ball 54% of the time this season (5th in the NFL). However, the Ravens have allowed the fewest rushing yards to opponent running backs this season, totalling only 117 yards through the first three games, but they have also allowed the fifth-most receiving yards to opposing runners (137). Expect the Bills to pass the ball more frequently on Sunday, and Cook to catch a number of those passes.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson
Lamar Jackson is a unique individual. Jackson’s 254 rushing yards this season exceed those of Aaron Jones and David Montgomery. With Derrick Henry in the backfield, the Ravens have ran the ball 53% of the time this season (7th in the NFL), averaging 5.9 yards per attempt, an NFL-best. In Week 1, the Bills allowed Kyler Murray 57 running yards.
Bills vs Ravens Prediction and Pick
This game promises to be a thrilling duel. Two run-heavy offences with mobile quarterbacks face off during prime time.
Josh Allen has been great to begin the season. His nine overall touchdowns lead the NFL, while his seven passing touchdowns are second. He also has the greatest passer rating in the NFL at 133.7. This season, he has 17 rushing attempts and is averaging 5.0 yards per attempt.
Allen has a very favourable matchup against a Ravens defence that has allowed an NFL-high 946 passing yards in the first three games of the season.
Lamar Jackson’s 245 rushing yards and 7.3 yards per attempt dominate the position by a significant margin. He only has one running touchdown, and Derrick Henry handles a majority of goal-line duties. That pairing should be beneficial again on Sunday. However, Jackson may struggle in the passing game against a Bills defence that has allowed only 5.06 yards per attempt and three throwing touchdowns this season. Jackson has only completed 65.6% of his passes this season, ranking 21st among starters.
Both quarterbacks are great, and both offences are capable of producing big numbers on any given day, but the Buffalo defence has the advantage. The Ravens allow 27 points per game, whereas Buffalo allows only 16 points per game.
Pick: Bills ML (+110)
Bills +2.5 is a terrific bet, but I’m going even braver and betting on the underdogs to win outright. It’s difficult to see the Ravens opening the season 1-3, but the Bills immediately appear like Super Bowl contenders.
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