Ravens vs. Chargers Spread Prediction
The Ravens knocked off the Chargers a few weeks ago in L.A. but the stakes are higher Sunday when the teams meet in the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs. Listed as a small dog, will the Bolts pull off the small upset in Baltimore today at 1:05 p.m. ET?
Game Snapshot
105 Los Angeles Chargers at 106 Baltimore Ravens
1:05 p.m. ET, Sunday, January 6, 2019
M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
Public Betting Trends
According to oddsmakers from online sports book BetNow.eu, the Ravens are 2.5-point favorites to beat the Chargers. The total, meanwhile, sits at 42 points. As of this writing, 65% of the public betting tickets are on the Chargers to cover the point spread.
Los Angeles Chargers
Melvin Gordon (ankle) wasn’t listed on the Chargers’ final injury report for Sunday’s Wild Card game against the Ravens. He tweaked his ankle in the Bolts’ regular season finale but didn’t miss any practice time this week. Gordon had one of his quieter games when he faced the Ravens two weeks ago, contributing a season-low 54 yards from scrimmage in a losing effort. However, he did score a touchdown in that game.
Baltimore Ravens
Profootballtalk reports the “chatter in league circles” is that Broncos GM John Elway would “like to find a way” to hire Ravens coach John Harbaugh. Mike Florio also reports Elway remains interested in a Mike Shanahan reunion. Harbaugh’s Ravens future appeared tenuous for much of 2018, but things have probably changed following the team’s hot finish and playoff qualification. We suppose it’s still possible both sides opt for a change of scenery following the conclusion of the Ravens’ playoff run, but it is far fetched.
NFL Betting Trends
Los Angeles
The road team has 4-0 against the spread in the last four meetings between these two teams while the underdog has cashed in five of the last six meetings. The Chargers are also 6-2 ATS in their last eight playoff games.
Baltimore
The Ravens have covered seven straight playoff games and are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games played in the month of January.
Prediction
The Chargers arguably have more overall talent than the Ravens, but I don’t like this matchup for L.A. Philip Rivers and Co. have a better idea of how Baltimore will play them today than they did two weeks ago so I expect the Chargers to move the ball more offensively. Still, the Ravens controlled the tempo in that game by harassing Rivers with blitzes that L.A. rarely countered. Rivers carves up defenses when he has time but he’s also prone to forcing throws and turning the ball over. Defensively, L.A. will likely be without Brandon Mebane, which leaves the Chargers light up front to defend this power rushing attack of the Ravens. This is Lamar Jackson’s first taste of postseason football but I don’t see the Chargers forcing him to put the ball in the air enough to expose his limitations as a passer. In a game that is likely to come down to the wire, getting the Ravens for under a field goal is critical.
NFL Wild Card Prediction: Baltimore Ravens -2.5