Ravens' title odds tumble after loss, Lamar injury
The Ravens' season started with a rash of injuries. It could end that way, too.
Star quarterback Lamar Jackson was carted to the locker room early in Sunday's 24-22 loss to the Browns with what is likely a sprained ankle, and his timetable is still uncertain. Oddsmakers are already pessimistic about the Ravens' chances without him - pricing them as 30-1 long shots just a week after they were dealing as 15-1 contenders.
| TEAM | ODDS |
|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | +500 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | +550 |
| New England Patriots | +600 |
| Green Bay Packers | +700 |
| Arizona Cardinals | +750 |
| Dallas Cowboys | +1200 |
| Los Angeles Rams | +1200 |
| Buffalo Bills | +1500 |
| Tennessee Titans | +1800 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | +2100 |
| Indianapolis Colts | +3000 |
| Baltimore Ravens | +3000 |
| San Francisco 49ers | +3300 |
| Cleveland Browns | +3500 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | +4000 |
| Minnesota Vikings | +8000 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | +10000 |
| Washington Football Team | +10000 |
| Denver Broncos | +12000 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | +15000 |
| New Orleans Saints | +15000 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | +15000 |
| Seattle Seahawks | +20000 |
| Miami Dolphins | +25000 |
| Atlanta Falcons | +50000 |
| Chicago Bears | +100000 |
| New York Giants | +100000 |
| Carolina Panthers | +100000 |
Baltimore was already struggling to keep pace atop the AFC North, even before losing its former MVP quarterback. Sunday's defeat was the Ravens' second straight to a division rival after last week's ugly 20-19 loss to the Steelers, and they're just one game ahead of the Bengals for the division lead.
The issue, surprisingly, has been on offense, which would only be exacerbated if Jackson's absence is lengthy. Sunday's 22-point effort was Baltimore's best since Week 9, and the team has averaged just 16.6 points per game in five games since. That's the eighth-lowest mark in the league over that time and marks the worst five-game stretch for the Ravens since 2015, which was their only losing season (5-11) in 13 years under John Harbaugh.
They'll need a miracle to avoid a similar fate down the stretch if Jackson can't go. Tyler Huntley performed admirably in relief, but he completed just one pass of 15 yards or more in the final nine minutes and airmailed multiple shots downfield in the final stretch of the game. He also isn't the weapon that Jackson is on the ground, obviously, which is crucial given how thin the Ravens' backfield is after a litany of preseason injuries.
Even if Jackson can return in the next few weeks, Baltimore's secondary is on its last legs after losing Marlon Humphrey a week ago and Marcus Peters before the season. That could pose a significant issue in the final weeks of the campaign, as the Ravens face three of the NFL's top 10 passing offenses in the final three weeks.
Baltimore is still a slim favorite to win the AFC North (+165), with the Browns (+175) and Bengals (+275) breathing down their neck. The team's ability to deliver on those odds likely depends on how much time Jackson misses, if any at all. There could be value on this group if he returns soon and the offense rediscovers its magic from past seasons. If not, the Ravens' season will be over sooner than anyone expected.
C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.
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