Cyrus Jones

Ravens in Middle of Crowded AFC Playoff Race Heading into Game vs Bucs

The Baltimore Ravens are not only in the thick of the AFC wild-card race but are just a half-game behind the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North. Coming into the final three games of the season, they’ll welcome the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to M&T Bank Stadium, where they are 8-point favorites in a game they absolutely need to win. There is uncertainty on who will start under center for the Ravens, with the total for the game set at 46.5 points.

SHARK BITES
  • Tampa Bay is 1-12 SU in its last 13 games as a road underdog.
  • Tampa Bay is 5-12 ATS in its last 17 December road games.
  • The UNDER has hit in five of Baltimore’s last six games against Tampa Bay.

Buccaneers vs Ravens Game Center

THIS SUNDAY I’M TAKING BALTIMORE -8.0

It’s normally cliche to say you can take positives after a loss, but that’s exactly what the Baltimore Ravens are doing heading into this Sunday.

Baltimore went on the road against the AFC-leading Kansas City Chiefs and took them right to the wire, losing by a field goal late in overtime. The Ravens were able to keep the Chiefs offense somewhat in check in Week 14, holding them to 27 points, their second-lowest total of the season.

They can hang their hat on being right there with the league’s elite, but as the Ravens look toward Week 15, the biggest question is who will start at quarterback. Longtime starter Joe Flacco, who has missed the past four games with a hip injury, has begun practicing, although head coach John Harbaugh has continued to be vague on his status. In his place, rookie Lamar Jackson has gone 3-1, with his only loss coming last week. He left the game on the second-last play of overtime with an ankle injury, but Harbaugh said Monday that he “should be OK.”

Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but it appears that Jackson, who combines dynamic running with efficient throws downfield, should be the starter again.

The Baltimore game plan will change drastically based on who is under center, but either scenario has them starting a quarterback who has proven he can win in the NFL. Combine that with one of the league’s top defenses, and the fact that they cannot afford to lose this game, and I’m betting on them coming out and taking care of business.

RAVENS DEFENSE IS FOR REAL

The Ravens defense was statistically one of the league’s top units coming into Week 14, but they showed how good they can be last Sunday.

Going against one of the league’s most explosive offenses, the Ravens held Kansas City under 30 points for just the third time all season, consistently getting pressure on quarterback Patrick Mahomes and holding the Chiefs under 100 rushing yards. While they couldn’t preserve the win, as Mahomes engineered an incredible drive late in the fourth quarter to tie the game, they proved that they have the depth and talent to tackle any offense.

In Week 15 they’ll face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, an offense that has been up and down but playing well lately with Jameis Winston under center. The Bucs aren’t the Chiefs, however, so we expect the Ravens defense to be at the top of its game and keep Tampa Bay relatively quiet.

With tight defense and lots of running in the offensive scheme, bettors may want to look at the UNDER as another play this Sunday.

A TALE OF TWO BUCS

In Week 1, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers exploded for 529 yards – including 417 through the air – and 48 points, while the defense surrendered 475 yards and 40 points to the New Orleans Saints in an old-fashioned shootout.

For their Week 14 rematch, the defense was a different unit, holding New Orleans to 298 yards, 28 points and two turnovers … except the offense was also a different unit, managing just 174 passing yards and 14 points.

The disappointing offensive day snapped a streak of 12 straight games with more than 300 offensive yards and marked just the second time in the Bucs’ past nine games that they failed to top 24 points.

Tampa Bay will have a hard time getting it back on track Sunday, as the Ravens defense isn’t the most welcoming unit, but if Tampa can combine a strong pass rush with its lethal offensive potential, Baltimore may be in for a difficult day.

Tampa Bay is 1-12 SU in its last 13 games as a road underdog.away Tampa Bay is 5-12 ATS in its last 17 December road games.away The UNDER has hit in five of Baltimore’s last six games against Tampa Bay.
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