The first game of Monday night's NFL doubleheader includes a pair of 4-2 teams sitting in first place in their respective divisions.
The seasons weren't perfect for the Ravens (who dropped their first two games before rallying with four straight wins) and the Buccaneers (who suffered an inexplicable loss at home to Denver in Week 3), but neither team It was representative. Get the better teams in their respective conferences.
The interconference matchup is expected to be close, as oddsmakers project Baltimore as a 3.5-point road favorite. The 50 points total is one of the highest points for week 7.
Below is a preview of the matchup with picks on the spread and over/under.
Ravens vs. Buccaneers odds
| team | spread | money line | over/under |
|---|---|---|---|
| ravens | -3.5 (-110) | -185 | o50 (-110) |
| buccaneers | +3.5 (-110) | +154 | u50 (-110) |
Ravens vs. Buccaneers spread
After Baltimore opened as a five-point favorite, the spread dropped to 3.5 points, still favoring the Ravens. Baltimore is 3-2-1 against the spread (ATS) and the Bucks are 4-2 ATS.
The Ravens' season-opening losses included a road matchup against the two-time Super Bowl champion Chiefs and a home game against the Raiders, who are currently 2-4.
But since then, they've won four straight, including two heartbreaking three-point road decisions against the Cowboys and Bengals. The latter was a high-scoring, overtime thriller.
The Ravens look like the best team in the AFC right now, facing a Tampa Bay defense that, while solid overall, ranks as the fifth-lowest run defense in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.
Through the first six games of the season, the Bucs have allowed 4.7 yards per rush, ninth-most in the league.
Additionally, the Bucs' 51-point win over New Orleans looks dramatically less impressive after Denver's poor offense put up 33 points and nearly 400 yards of total offense last Thursday. It looks like it is.
I'd like to see a clean 3-point game, but there's nothing wrong with playing 3.5 with the best offense in the league in a favorable matchup.
Pick: Ravens -3.5 (-110, DraftKings)
Ravens vs. Buccaneers total points
The total points started at 46, but then rose to 50.
Baltimore has an overrated 5-1 record as their defense has been overrated for most of the season, while Tampa Bay has outscored them in four of their six games.
Both offenses are firing on all cylinders, averaging a combined 73.3 points per game over the last three games.
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This line might be a better fit if Baltimore's defense (23rd in opponent points per game, 16th in opponent yards per game) performs as expected through the first third of the season. It could be, but it's actually not.
At the end of the day, neither defense has a chance to stop these ferocious offenses, so expect more big scores in this game.
Pick: 49 points or more (-130, bet 365)
Why trust New York Post Betting?
Andrew Norton has handicapped the NBA, WNBA, NFL, College Basketball, Football, UFC, and Golf. During the 2022-23 NBA season, he delivered an outstanding ROI of 14.1%, cashed in 60% of his NBA spread picks, and led Tallysight in SportsIQ metrics.
