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I’m Andrew Erickson, and I’m here to guide you through each game on the NFL slate, offering insights and recommendations on sides, totals, and player props that you can quickly turn into a big single-game parlay. Whether you’re a seasoned bettor or just dipping your toes into the world of NFL wagering €“ I know that I am for the first time now that my state has legalized wagering €“ this primer is designed to provide you with valuable perspectives and picks for the upcoming NFL week of action. Here are my top picks for Ravens vs. Bengals.
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NFL Betting Primer: Ravens vs. Bengals
Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals – Spread Line: CIN -3.0
Week 2 is overreaction season. I am not overreacting to the Bengals’ abysmal defeat versus the Browns. As I noted in last week’s primer, the Browns have been Joe Burrow’s Achilles heel -sorry Aaron Rodgers. But that is not the case with the Ravens, whom Burrow has OWNED through his time as the Bengals QB1. Last two seasons, Burrow is 4-1 versus the Ravens with the team averaging 36 points in victories. The only loss was a two-point defeat at Baltimore last season.
Considering the Ravens’ offense also looked pretty out of sync versus the Houston Texans, I am taking the Bengals to show up in a major bounce-back effort. Joe Burrow is 13-4 against the spread following a loss. Joey Covers.
Baltimore is dealing with a ton of injuries to key players such as Mark Andrews, Marlon Humphrey, Tyler Linderbaum, Ronnie Stanley and Marcus Williams. Secondary is suspect.
And the Bengals’ defense also wasn’t as horrible as the Week 1 box score suggests. Sure, they couldn’t stop Nick Chubb €“ nobody can €“ but No. 2 Browns RB Jerome Ford was inefficient with his carries. Second-worst rushing EPA. Given the downgrade going from JK Dobbins to other Ravens RBs, there could be some struggle to run the football. The Bengals should be able to harass Lamar Jackson especially if Stanley is not at 100%. When Stanley missed part of their Week 5 matchup last season, Jackson was pressured on 43% of his dropbacks. Averaged 5.4 yards per attempt and was held under 180 total passing yards. I like the under on Jackson’s passing yards prop in Week 2. He’s gone under this number in 10 of his last 13 games played.
As for overs, you NEED to buy the dip on Tee Higgins. 60.5 receiving yards. He can easily surpass this after he saw 8 targets and over 150 air yards in Week 1. The Ravens allowed Nico Collins and Robert Woods for a combined 137 receiving yards when they faced the Texans.
- My picks: Bengals -3.0 (-118 FanDuel Sportsbook)
- My props: Lamar Jackson UNDER 221.5 passing yards (-115 DraftKings Sportsbook), Tee Higgins OVER 60.5 receiving yards (-115 DraftKings Sportsbook)
What is Betting Against the Spread?
Betting "against the spread" refers to the act of choosing the winning team based on a numeric handicap placed on the team that oddsmakers believe is superior, rather than picking the outright winner. For example, if the Rams face the Bengals, and oddsmakers set the spread at Rams -3.5, you would need Los Angeles to win by 4 or more points in order to cash your Rams bet.
What is an Over/Under Bet?
Over/Under is a wager based on how many points you think will be scored in a specific game. Oddsmakers set the total, and bettors decide whether the final score will be higher or lower than that number. If an Over/Under is set at 44.5 points and you bet Over, you will need the combined score of both teams to be 45 points or higher to win your bet.
What is a Moneyline Bet?
A moneyline bet involves choosing which team you believe will win a specific matchup. The moneyline favorite carries a minus designation, like -130. This means that you need to wager $130 to earn a $100 profit. Conversely, the underdog carries a plus designation, like +110. This means that you win $110 in profit on a $100 bet.
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