The Baltimore Ravens are set as 3.5-point favorites as they open their season on the road against the Indianapolis Colts. The Ravens are coming off an 8-9 season that saw them miss the playoffs, a performance hampered by offensive struggles and injuries, including a back contusion that sidelined quarterback Lamar Jackson for four games.
Last season, the Colts experienced a dramatic shift, starting strong at 8-3 before a late-season losing streak, exacerbated by quarterback Daniel Jones' Achilles injury, led to a final record below .500. Despite their struggles, the market has shown more confidence in Baltimore, listing them at 10/1 odds to win the Super Bowl and +530 to win the AFC, while the Colts are at 60/1 and 30/1, respectively.
A notable trend in this series favors the Colts, who hold a 10-2 record Against The Spread (ATS) against the Ravens over the past 20 years, the best mark of any NFL team in that span. The game is anticipated to be a physical contest, featuring a matchup between veteran running backs Derrick Henry of the Ravens and Jonathan Taylor of the Colts.
This marks the Ravens' first game without head coach John Harbaugh in 19 years, with Jesse Minter taking over and Declan Doyle stepping in as offensive coordinator. Last season, Baltimore's offense ranked 16th overall. The Ravens aim for a strong start, but face a Colts secondary featuring Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward Jr.
Indianapolis demonstrated offensive capability last year, scoring 38 points against Minter's Chargers defense in Week 7. Jones threw for 288 yards and two touchdowns in that game, with Taylor rushing for 94 yards and three scores on 16 carries. Colts head coach Shane Steichen has a history of strong early-season performance, boasting a 10-game ATS advantage in September and October, contrasting with a seven-game deficit in November and December.
Despite the Ravens being favored, historical ATS data suggests a competitive matchup, with the Colts having a significant edge in recent performance against the spread in this series. The New York Post's prediction favors the Colts to cover the 3.5-point spread.