NFL Odds & Picks: Ravens vs. Raiders
Pick | Book |
---|---|
Under 50.5 | BetMGM |
Bryan Edwards Over 38.5 Rec Yards | PointsBet |
Stuckey: I've screamed for the Raiders to make a defensive coordinator change for the past two seasons. Yes, they lacked talent, but the scheme did nothing to compensate for some of the roster deficiencies. Bringing in Gus Bradley should provide an immediate boost in that aspect. And the overall talent of this unit has increased significantly.
The Raiders' very inexperienced offensive line that could get overwhelmed by the Ravens' constant blitz packages. Even without Marcus Peters, the Ravens' secondary should have no issues locking down their receivers.
Keep in mind that if the Ravens build a big lead, they could go extra vanilla in the second half in light of all of the recent injuries. Plus, they next have a date with the Chiefs on a short week in a Sunday Night Football game that could have major playoff-seeding implications, which could also prompt them to hold some new things back in the playbook.
You can read more of my analysis for this game here, but I'd bet this under down to 50.
Mike Randle: It can be difficult to separate the fact from fiction regarding preseason reports, but all signs point to a Bryan Edwards breakout.
The second-year wideout should be the primary receiving target for Derek Carr throughout the season after Las Vegas cut veteran WR John Brown as a direct result of confidence in Edwards.
At 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds, Edwards has the size to win contested catches and was a dominant producer at South Carolina. This is certainly a difficult matchup with the Ravens, who allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. But in a game with a 50.5-point over/under (check real-time NFL odds here), the top wide receiver on a Raiders team playing at home should be able to crest such a low receiving total prop.
Sure, tight end Darren Waller is still the primary target, but Edwards should see more opportunities than the enigmatic Henry Ruggs or slot receiver Hunter Renfrow.
Baltimore lost start CB Marcus Peters to a season-ending ACL injury last week, weakening a normally stout Ravens secondary. I'm backing Edwards to reach 40 receiving yards at home on Monday Night Football.