The Ravens are 5-3 on the season, but they probably feel they should be 8-0. The Saints are 3-5, and they’ve also botched a couple of games. So we should be in for a good one when these teams meet for this week’s edition of Monday night football betting action at the Superdome.
Who do we like here for our free MNF pick?
NFL Betting Lines
The Week 9 NFL betting odds opened Baltimore as a three-point road favorite for Monday night, with an over/under of right around 48. Early betting action then dipped that spread to -2.5.
Ravens-Saints NFL Betting Preview
Baltimore owns its first two-game winning “streak” of this season after winning at Tampa Bay last Thursday 27-22. The Ravens started slowly against the Buccaneers, botched a couple of early scoring opportunities, and trailed at the half 10-3. But Baltimore scored the first 14 points of the second half, part of a 24-6 run, to take the lead and held on from there for the victory.
The Ravens out-gained Tampa 453-349, out-rushed the Bucs 231-44, and dominated time of possession by a 38:22 split.
Baltimore has now out-gained three of its last four opponents and out-rushed each of its last seven foes.
Two weeks ago, the Ravens beat Cleveland 23-20, out-rushing the Browns 160-113.
Baltimore is 5-3 overall this season but should be/could be 6-2 or 7-1, considering it held double-digit leads in every game it lost.
New Orleans, meanwhile, just snapped a two-game losing skid with a 24-0 blanking of Las Vegas last Sunday. The Saints took the lead for good with a touchdown late in the first quarter, led 17-0 at the half, then scored the only seven points of the second half for the win.
New Orleans out-gained the Raiders 367-183, out-rushed Vegas 136-38, and won the time of possession by a 35:25 split. In fact, the Saints’ defense didn’t even allow the Raiders’ offense to cross into New Orleans territory until just two minutes remained in the game!
The Saints have now out-gained each of their last four opponents and out-rushed four of their last five foes. It’s that -9 turnover ratio that’s been killing ’em.
Two weeks ago, New Orleans out-gained Arizona by 168 yards but lost 42-34 because it gave up two pick-6s. And three weeks ago, the Saints lost to Cincinnati 30-26 because they gave up a 60-yard Bengals touchdown with just under two minutes to go.
But even at 3-5 overall, New Orleans only trails first-place Atlanta by one game in the mediocre NFC South.
These two teams have played two common opponents this season; the Ravens played Tampa Bay and Cincinnati to 2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS, and +69 yards per game, while the Saints played the Bucs and Bengals to 0-2 both SU and ATS but +50 YPG.
On the personnel front, Baltimore just added a guy this week who should bolster its 24th-ranked defense when they got LB Roquon Smith in a trade with Chicago.
Ravens-Saints Recent History
These teams don’t meet too often, just seven times before, the Ravens winning five. Most recently, though, four seasons ago, New Orleans beat Baltimore 24-23 when Ravens All-Universe kicker Justin Tucker missed an extra point that would have tied the game in the last half-minute. Drew Brees quarterbacked the Saints that day against Joe Flacco for Baltimore.
- Get more details: Baltimore at New Orleans MNF Week 9 Betting Stats
NFL Betting Trends
- Home teams are 66-54 SU and 61-57 ATS in the NFL this season.
- Favorites are 74-48 SU and 52-67 ATS in the NFL this season.
- Home dogs are 21-28 SU and 27-21 ATS in the NFL this season.
Totals Report
- The Unders are 5-3 in Ravens games this season, which are averaging 49 total points.
- The Overs are 5-3 in Saints games this season, which are averaging 50 points.
- The Unders are 72-50 in the NFL this season.
