Ravens vs. Patriots Odds, Spread, Preview: NFL Week 3 Predictions

Ravens vs. Patriots Week 3 matchup preview and current betting lines

Either the Baltimore Ravens or New England Patriots should be 1-2 after this Week 3 matchup in the AFC. The Patriots pulled out a low-scoring 17-14 win in Pittsburgh last week, and the Ravens became the 10th team in NFL history to blow a 21-point lead in the fourth quarter, losing 42-38 to Miami.

Lamar Jackson is having a great start to his season despite the running game producing at its worst levels since he has been the quarterback. The defense also has allowed five 400-yard passers since the start of 2021 season while the rest of the NFL has allowed 13 combined 400-yard passers.

The Patriots have scored fewer points (24) in two games this year than the 28 points the Dolphins dropped on Baltimore in Sunday’s unbelievable fourth quarter. Can the Patriots find some holes in this secondary to attack with Mac Jones?

The last time Lamar Jackson played in New England in 2020, it rained late in the game and the Ravens lost 23-17. But in two games against Bill Belichick’s defense, Jackson is completing 71.9% of his passes with only one interception.

The NFL Week 3 odds have the Ravens as a 2.5-point road favorite in this matchup, but playing in New England is always a challenge.

Players to watch in the Ravens vs. Patriots game

Baltimore Ravens

Rashod Bateman: Do you see why the Ravens had no problem trading Hollywood Brown to Arizona? Bateman, the 2021 first-round pick, is averaging a league-best 27.8 yards per catch and has scored in both games for the Ravens. He only has six catches, but he is having a big impact already in his second season.

New England Patriots

Jakobi Meyers: The Ravens have had their share of coverage problems in the secondary, and Meyers is the kind of receiver who is so good at finding the open holes and sitting down for his quarterback to find him. He could have a 100-yard game here if the Patriots push the ball.

Our Best NFL Bets for the Ravens vs. Patriots game

We have two NFL Week 3 predictions we feel good about for this game as the Ravens reignite their AFC rivalry with New England.

Ravens vs. Patriots Point Spread Pick: Ravens -2.5 (-121)

The Ravens vs. Patriots spread has stayed pretty consistent with the Ravens as a favorite of 2.5-to-3 points. You can find a solid price at BetRivers on Ravens -2.5 if you are on Baltimore’s side.

While the Ravens had such a disappointing finish to Sunday’s game, it is still easy to like them in this matchup because of how well Lamar Jackson is playing to start this season. He is up to No. 5 in MVP odds after winning the award unanimously in 2019. He just had his second game of his career with over 300 yards passing and 100 yards rushing, the first quarterback to do that twice.

The Patriots do not have the receivers or high-octane passing game to attack the Ravens the way other teams have in recent years through the air. This would be a feast for Tom Brady and company years ago, but the Patriots are a different team right now. Not only is the offense down from what it used to be, but the defense is not creating a ton of sacks and turnovers.

Baltimore coach John Harbaugh has always been one of the best at going up against Belichick, especially in New England where he has won multiple playoff games and nearly went 4-0 there in January with Joe Flacco. He will have this team ready to play and make up for last Sunday’s fourth quarter meltdown. Take the Ravens to cover on the road and get to 2-1.

Remember to read our NFL picks page for more betting tips.

Lamar Jackson Prop: Over 51.5 Rushing Yards (-110)

After seeing San Francisco quarterback Trey Lance break his ankle on a designed run in Week 2, it does serve as a reminder that Lamar Jackson is the asterisk when it comes to being a running quarterback in the NFL. No one runs it as often or as well as he does. He just broke Michael Vick’s record with his 11th 100-yard rushing game from the quarterback position. If you count playoffs, he already had the record and just did it for the 13th time already.

That’s why a line of 51.5 rushing yards is so enticing for Jackson. In 55 career starts, Jackson has rushed for over 51.5 yards a total of 41 times (74.5%). With the way Baltimore’s backs are struggling to produce, Jackson will take matters into his own hands again, and sometimes he can cover that amount in one play like he did against Miami.

Belichick knows Jackson is going to run, but that does not mean he will keep him under 51.5 yards. In two meetings with the Patriots, Jackson has rushed for 61 and 55 yards. So, it might be a close finish to the line with how good the bookmakers are at setting these NFL odds, but Jackson going over in rushing is usually a good NFL bet of the week.