If there were any doubts about whether Baltimore Ravens playoff chances are legit, those should have been erased on Sunday night, thanks largely to Derrick Henry’s 199-yard rushing performance in the Ravens’ 35-10 win over the Buffalo Bills.
The Ravens (2-2) have two straight victories over teams expected to be Super Bowl contenders, but an even bigger game against an AFC North division rival looms this weekend. And that game will sharpen the playoff odds for both teams.
For now, recent history says the Ravens still have some work to do to make it to the postseason. However, oddsmakers at Maryland sportsbooks believe Lamar Jackson and crew will be there in mid-January.
At BetMaryland.com, we used the Champs or Chumps website to see how teams ended up the rest of the NFL season after starting their season with a 2-2 record since the 2019 NFL season. In the past five years, 53 teams have split their first four games.
Situation | Number of Teams | Percentage |
Making The Playoffs | 21 | 39.6% |
Advanced Past Wild Card Round | 13 | 24.5% |
Winning Divisional Round | 5 | 9.4% |
Winning Conference Championship | 0 | 0.0% |
Winning Super Bowl | 0 | 0.0% |
The 39.6% rate of making the playoffs (according to ChampsorChumps.us data) converts to odds of about +150 at sportsbooks. However, Fanatics Maryland Sportsbook lists the Ravens’ playoff chances at -550, which equals implied odds of 84.6%.
Oddsmakers also aren’t factoring in the fact that no 2-2 team has won the Super Bowl in recent years. At ESPN BET Maryland Sportsbook, Baltimore remains the third choice on the futures board. The Ravens +850 odds are only longer than the Kansas City Chiefs at +475 and San Francisco 49ers at +650. The 2018 New England Patriots were the most recent team to start 2-2 and go on to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Turn to BetMaryland.com for the best Maryland sports betting promos out there.
This Sunday, the Ravens open play in the AFC North by going on the road to face the Cincinnati Bengals. Despite their 1-3 record, the Bengals are still considered a serious playoff contender, judging by the +110 odds available for them at Crab Sports Maryland Sportsbook.
A win Sunday would not only put the Ravens two games up on Cincinnati, but it would also give them a critical division win. That could come in handy if the NFL uses tiebreakers to determine playoff teams.
The game features a matchup of two of the best offenses in the NFL. Both teams average more than 25 points per game, and both feature strong rushing and passing attacks. Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow has completed 70.9% of his passes this season for 978 yards and a 7-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Meanwhile, no team has run for more yards, 881, or averaged more per carry, 6.4, than the Ravens.
Check out our Ravens vs. Bengals odds page to compare operators and see whether the point spread moves in the days before the game.
One potential edge for the Ravens is on defense. Baltimore allows just three yards a carry, best in the NFL. In addition, Cincinnati’s top defensive player, defensive end Trey Hendrickson, left in the fourth quarter on Sunday after colliding with teammate Sam Hubbard. Hendrickson left the locker room in Charlotte wearing a sling, but ESPN reported Monday afternoon that he had a neck stinger and did not suffer any nerve damage. His status for next week is not known.
DraftKings Maryland Sportsbook lists the Ravens as a 2.5-point favorite for Sunday. On the futures board, the Ravens remain the AFC North favorites at -135, with the 3-1 Steelers at +240, the Bengals at +400 and the Browns at +4000.
USA Today photo by Jay Biggerstaff
Author
Steve is an accomplished, award-winning reporter with more than 20 years of experience covering gaming, sports, politics and business. He has written for the Associated Press, Reuters, The Louisville Courier Journal, The Center Square and numerous other publications. Based in Louisville, Ky., Steve has covered the expansion of sports betting in the U.S. and other gaming matters.
Cited by leading media organizations, such as:
