The red-hot Baltimore Ravens will take a rare trip down to the desert as they'll square off with the Arizona Cardinals on the road! Ladies and gentlemen, it's about that time to once again take a look at our NFL odds series where our Ravens-Cardinals prediction and pick will be revealed.
Could this Ravens squad be considered the best team in the AFC? They definitely looked the part a week ago against a top NFC squad in the Detroit Lions resulting in a shocking 38-6 blowout victory. With QB Lamar Jackson finally healthy and playing like his MVP self, this Ravens team has proven that they are no joke.
In the meantime, the Arizona Cardinals are on the other side of the spectrum as they enter this contest with a 1-6 record and may need to fully embrace tank mode if they don't secure some victories in the next few weeks. With QB Kyler Murray finally back at practice after recovering from a torn ACL the past year, his return should be just right around the corner to make a desperate late-season run.
Here are the Ravens-Cardinals NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Ravens-Cardinals Odds
Baltimore Ravens: -9.5 (-110)
Arizona Cardinals: +9.5 (-110)
Over: 44.5 (-115)
Under: 44.5 (-105)
How to Watch Ravens vs. Cardinals Week 8
Time: 4:25 ET/1:25 PT
TV: CBS
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial), NFL Sunday Ticket if out-of-market
Why The Ravens Could Cover The Spread
Very few foresaw the shellacking of the Lions last Sunday, as the Ravens surely made a statement to the rest of the league versus a Detroit squad that many have called a bonafide contender within the NFC. Just as convincing for Baltimore's case as one of the NFL's best has been their 3-1 mark away from home. Without a doubt, winning on the road in the NFL is one of the hardest things to do in all of sports, but the Ravens have made it look rather easily. On paper, their lone road loss came at the hands of a divisional rival in the Pittsburgh Steelers. In a lesser hostile environment upcoming at State Farm Stadium, there is no reason to think that Baltimore cannot break out with some excellent play for the second consecutive week.
Most importantly, it appears that QB Lamar Jackson has taken that next step as a pocket-passer under first-year offensive coordinator Todd Monkey. Through seven games, Jackson is completing 71% of his passes and also owns a 101.9 passer rating. Additionally, he is also averaging 8.05 yards-per-attempt and will be going up against an Arizona secondary that has been friendly to opposing quarterbacks as they have allowed 259.6 passing yards per game. Don't be alarmed if Lamar blows the top off of this secondary with some gaudy deep throws.
To put a cherry on top of things, fast starts have become Baltimore's specialty, as they have outscored their opponents 55-6 in the first quarter this season. Another swift start would almost single-handedly steal any hope that the Cardinals have in stealing this game.
Why The Cardinals Could Cover The Spread
At the moment, Kyler Murray is currently listed as doubtful, and while his return will be put on hold for the next week or two, the Cardinals will have to rely on other methods to pull off the gigantic upset.
For starters, the best shot the Cardinals have is on the defensive side of the ball, and although they will have their hands full against a high-flying Ravens offense, Arizona's offense is far too unreliable to believe that they can consistently march up and down the football field with Josh Dobbs under center. Furthermore, running back James Conner continues to be on IR with a knee ailment, and with him being sidelined for at least the next couple of weeks, Arizona will most likely have to call upon their defense to create turnovers and do the dirty work en route to covering the spread.
Above all else, the Cardinals do happen to have one win against the spread in the two games this season where they have been at least 9.5 point underdogs or more. They are also 1-0 ATS at home when facing that same deficit as spread underdogs. In truth, crazier things have happened within the NFL, and it wouldn't be entirely shocking to see the Cardinals put up a respectable fight on Sunday.
Final Ravens-Cardinals Prediction & Pick
This Ravens squad is fresh off of amassing a total of 503 yards and averaged 9.1 yards per play in the rout of the Lions. It shouldn't be expected whatsoever for this Baltimore offense to slow down, as it will be Lamar Jackson and company that have a field day in the Grand Canyon State.
Final Ravens-Cardinals Prediction & Pick: Ravens -9.5 (-110)