The Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills will meet in the first AFC divisional postseason game of the year. It’s time to continue our NFL odds series and make a Ravens-Bills playoff pick.

The Bills punched their ticket to the divisional round with a thrilling victory over the Indianapolis Colts last weekend. Buffalo holds an overall record of 14-3 and a record of 11-6 against the spread.

The Ravens enter the matchup after a 20-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans in the Wild Card game. Baltimore now stands at an overall record of 12-5 with an against the spread record of 11-5-1.

Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening Ravens-Bills Wild Card Playoff odds.

NFL Odds: Ravens-Bills Odds

Ravens +2.5 (-105)

Bills -2.5 (-115)

Over 49.5 Points (-105)

Under 49.5 Points (-115)

Marquise Brown, Lamar Jackson, Ravens
CP

Why The Ravens Could Cover The Spread 

The Ravens' biggest advantage in this matchup will be their excellent running game against a Bills team that has struggled to prevent opponents from racking up yards on the ground.

Thanks to the emergence of rookie J.K. Dobbins and the best mobile quarterback in the game in Lamar Jackson, the Ravens led the league in rushing yards per game (194.5).

Against the Titans, this attack was on full display. Jackson, Dobbins, and Gus Edwards combined for 227 rushing yards.

Against a defense that allowed the third-most rushing yards per game, it's likely that we see another masterful performance out of the reigning MVP on the ground.

On the defensive side, Baltimore will have their hands full with Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs. The Ravens will rely on Marlon Humphries and Marcus Peters to slow down Diggs, who led the league in receiving yards in 2020-21.

However, Diggs will not be 100 percent for this matchup. The star receiver was dealing with a quadriceps injury on Wednesday. With a potentially limited Diggs, Humphries and Peters should be able to prevent the star from going off, unlike the Colts.

Bills, Stefon Diggs

Why The Bills Could Cover The Spread

The Buffalo Bills have been blazing hot this season. Josh Allen and company haven't lost a game since the “Hail Murray” upset to the Cardinals back in November.

And the Bills haven't just been winning. They've been blowing teams out and covering easily.

Before failing to cover against the Colts in the AFC Wild Card Game, the Bills had covered a ridiculous eight games in a row. Over those eight games, the Bills won by an average of 16.4 points. The largest spread set against them was -7, against the Patriots in New England.

The biggest reason for these blowouts is Josh Allen. The Bills quarterback has been on fire, throwing two-plus touchdowns in the last six matchups and leading Buffalo to average the second-most points in the league.

This was on full display against the Colts, where Allen threw for two touchdowns, rushed for one more, and ended the game with a passer rating of 122.3.

If Buffalo turns this game into a shootout, Allen will have the upper hand. Look for the Bills to come out firing and sling the ball early and often.

Final Ravens-Bills Wild Card Playoff Prediction & Pick

In a matchup of two blazing hot teams, I'll lean towards the squad that impressed more last week. The Bills barely triumphed over the Colts, and in all honesty, they caught a few huge breaks to get it done. The Ravens-Titans game ended as a one-possession game but dominated Tennessee in almost every important statistic. I'll back the Ravens to get the job done in Buffalo, and not only cover the spread but win as underdogs.

FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: BAL 30, BUF 24