London Matchup: Ravens Are Top NFL Betting Favorites Against Jaguars

London Matchup: Ravens Are Top NFL Betting Favorites Against Jaguars

Written by on September 21, 2017

The Jacksonville Jaguars will look to bounce back from their humbling Week 2 loss when they take on the top NFL betting favorites Baltimore Ravens in a Week 3 matchup that will take place across the pond in London on Sunday at 9:30 AM ET live from Wembley Stadium. Baltimore will play in their first-ever NFL International Series while this game marks Jacksonville’s fifth overseas showdown. If you’re looking for value-packed match-ups on the NFL Week 3 docket, then look no further, this pairing may be offering the best value of any game this coming weekend. Now, let’s find out why!

Baltimore vs. Jacksonville Week 3 Game Info & NFL Betting Preview

When: September 24, 2017 at 9:30 AM ET Where: Wembley Stadium, London TV: CBS Radio: WBAL 1090 AM (Baltimore) / WGNE 99.9 FM (Jacksonville) Live Streaming: Yahoo! NFL Betting Odds: Baltimore -4 Total: 40.5

Why the Jacksonville Jaguars?

The Jaguars and quarterback Blake Bortles reverted back to their former, mostly incompetent selves in their humbling 37-16 Week 2 smackdown loss against Tennessee while never coming close to cover the spread as a 1-point home under-dog no less. Bortles look mostly lost as he completed just 20 of 34 for 223 yards with one touchdown while tossing two costly interceptions as Jacksonville fell apart after trailing 6-3 at halftime. Now, the Jags could be in for an even more difficult contest against a Baltimore team that has given up just 10 points in their two games this season.

NFL Lines & Betting Prediction on Dolphins vs. Jets for Week 3

The Baltimore Ravens are allowing just 85 rushing yards per game as they get set to face a Jacksonville team that has centered its offense around the talents of rookie running back Leonard Fournette, the fourth overall pick in this year’s draft. “I know for a fact it is going to be a challenging one,” Fournette said. “They have a lot of veteran guys. Terrell Suggs is the leader on the D-line. We just have to get past those guys. Also, their linebacking corps is another magnificent part of their defense. Just working our way through C.J. Mosley and them, it is going to be a battle.” The good news is that several Jacksonville players have played overseas and know the demands the trip can take on their bodies. “We talked to the players that haven’t been there before to talk to our older players, about a routine,” Jaguars coach Doug Marrone said. “It’s just knowing how to get your body prepared and ready to play. We’ve encouraged our younger players who haven’t been there to make sure they talk to the players that have been with our team on how to hydrate or whatever it may be that we do.”

Team Statistics

Offense:
  • Average Score For: 22.5
  • Total Yards: 295
  • Rush Yards: 127
  • Passing Yards: 168
Defense:
  • Average Score Against: 22
  • Total Yards: 296.5
  • Rush Yards: 136
  • Passing Yards: 160.5

Why Are the Ravens a Safe NFL Betting?

Baltimore improved to 2-0 as veteran signal-caller Joe Flacco tossed two TD passes and the Ravens stingy defense forced five turnovers for the second straight game in their 24-10 Week 2 win over Cleveland. While this contest marks their first game overseas, head coach John Harbaugh said his team will treat the game like any other. “We’re both playing in London. We’re going against the Jaguars,” Harbaugh said. “They have to go over there, as well. We’re going over there to win a football game — that’s it. We’re not thinking about too much else besides that.” Against the Jaguars, Baltimore is a Top NFL Betting Favorite. Baltimore will be playing without six-time Pro Bowl guard Marshal Yanda after he was lost for the season after suffering a fractured ankle in Baltimore’s Week 2 win. Still, the Ravens have been extremely stingy defensively this season in recording eight interceptions, two forced fumble recoveries and eight sacks. “We want to be a ferocious defense,” said Ravens perennial Pro Bowl linebacker Terrell Suggs, who will play in his 200th career game Sunday. “We want to be a pressure defense. The standard is very high.”

Team Statistics

Offense:
  • Average Score For: 22
  • Total Yards: 302.5
  • Rush Yards: 146.5
  • Passing Yards: 156
Defense:
  • Average Score Against: 5
  • Total Yards: 303.5
  • Rush Yards: 85
  • Passing Yards: 218.5

Latest NFL Betting Trends

  • Baltimore is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
  • Baltimore is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
  • The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Baltimore’s last 5 games when playing Jacksonville
  • Jacksonville is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
  • Jacksonville is 2-11 SU in its last 13 games
  • The total has gone OVER in 4 of Jacksonville’s last 6 games

Expert Analysis and NFL Betting Prediction

This Week 2 pick is as easy as pie seeing as how Baltimore has been phenomenal defensively and Jacksonville has an incompetent quarterback in Blake Bortles. Baltimore is a near-perfect 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in the month of September and a bankroll-boosting 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games against their AFC counterparts while Jacksonville has gone 1-4 ATS in their last five games on grass and 7-19 ATS in their last 26 games in the month of September. While the underdog in this AFC series is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings, I say the Baltimore Ravens are going to snap that trend in this contest. Keep it simple and back the Baltimore Ravens to harass the hell out of Bortles en route to the easy win and ATS cover! NFL Betting Pick: Baltimore -4