Baltimore Ravens (3-2, 2-2-1 ATS) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-4, 2-3 ATS)
*ATS= against the spread
BETDAQ Line: Baltimore -3.5 (43.5)
Significant Injuries
Baltimore: DT Timmy Jernigan (questionable– knee), DE Chris Canty (out– illness), OT Eugene Monroe (out– knee), S Will Hill (out– suspension)
Tampa Bay: WR Vincent Jackson (questionable– ribs), LB Mason Foster (questionable– shoulder), DE Larry English (questionable– hamstring), S Dashon Goldson (questionable– ankle), QB Josh McCown (out– thumb), WR Mike Evans (out– groin)
Recent Trends
Baltimore is 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a losing record
Baltimore is 1-8 ATS in their last 9 October games
Tampa Bay is 28-11 ATS in their last 39 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game
Tampa Bay is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a loss
Tampa Bay is 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning record
The UNDER is 4-1 in Baltimore’s last 5 road games vs. a team with a losing record
The OVER is 7-0 in Tampa Bay’s last 7 October games
The UNDER is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between these 2 teams
Three reasons to back Baltimore
1. The Ravens have the look of a contender– they rank 7th in total offense, 3rd in points allowed, and their only two losses have come against Cincinnati and Indianapolis, two of the best teams in the AFC. Their three was have come by 50 combined points, so bettors shouldn’t be concerned with the 3.5-point number here.
2. Tampa is one of the NFL’s worst teams by any objective measure: they’ve won just once in 5 games, they rank 30th in total offense, 30th in total defense, and 31st in points allowed, surrendering 31.2 points per game. They have yet to win at home this season and they’re a dismal 1-5-1 against the spread in their last 7 home games. There’s just not much to like about the Bucs in this situation.
3. Baltimore is a veteran team led by Joe Flacco, a quarterback with Super Bowl experience and a dangerous receiving corps at his disposal. His counterpart on Sunday, Tampa’s Mike Glennon, is an inexperienced backup who was forced into action when starter Josh McCown injured his thumb. Making matters worse, Glennon will definitely be without one starting wideout– Mike Evans is out with a groin injury– and he may be without both of them, as Vincent Jackson is officially listed as questionable cue to a rib injury. The Ravens are at a clear advantage here.
Three reasons to back Tampa Bay
1. The Bucs have improved greatly over the first month of the season and they now fit the profile of a team that is clearly undervalued. Their record is a decidedly unimpressive 1-4, but in their last two games– a road win over Pittsburgh and an overtime loss to New Orleans in the Superdome– they looked like a team that could beat anybody on any given day. They’re a great value this week as a 3.5-point home underdog against a Baltimore team that managed just 13 points against a mediocre Colts defense in Week 5.
2. Tampa’s recent improvement has everything to do with the play of 2nd-year quarterback Mike Glennon, who replaced veteran Josh McCown after McCown sustained a thumb injury. Glennon has a golden opportunity to shine this week against a Baltimore defense that ranks 29th against the pass.
3. The Ravens are a team that generally plays down to their competition, as they’ve failed to cover in five consecutive games against teams with losing records. Can they be trusted as road favorites against a Tampa team that is obviously gaining momentum?
Prediction
Did you know that as well as checking the realtime prices on BETDAQ below – you can also log into your account and place your bets directly into BETDAQ from BETDAQ TIPS.
