The Wild Card Round of this 2023/24 NFL season is history, and we already know the eight teams that are staying alive in the fight for the Vince Lombardi Trophy in the upcoming Super Bowl LVIII.
In the Wild Card games, we had some surprises that, no doubt, left a bad taste in the mouths of many fans. First, the Dolphins’ terrible loss to the Chiefs by 7-26. Then, the incredible beating of the Green Bay Packers against the Dallas Cowboys unleashed hell for Dallas fans. Finally, the Buccaneers left on the way one of the favorites to fight for the championship, the Philadelphia Eagles.
Here’s what we like about the NFL postseason. At the moment, the favoritism ends, and only the teams that perform the best on the pitch will be left alive.
Now, for this divisional round, we will have four excellent games to define the four teams that will fight in the upcoming conference finals. One of these Divisional Round games will be between the Baltimore Ravens and the Houston Texans.
When and Where?
Saturday, January 20, 4:30 pm ET at the M&T Bank Stadium
Moneyline odds:
Where Can I Watch it?
NFL Network, ESPN, and CBS
Why Bet on the Ravens?
The Ravens come into this match in a big way after winning the AFC North and being the best team in the American Conference. That means that they skipped the Wild Card round, so, in addition to rest time, they come well prepared.
Led by MVP favorite Lamar Jackson, Baltimore finished the regular season with a 13-4 record, the best in the NFL. The Ravens have been nearly unstoppable on offense this season behind Jackson’s dynamic dual-threat skills.
Baltimore, which last won a championship in February 2013 after defeating the 49ers 34-31, is a formidable team, as evidenced by its 13-4 regular season record.
Jackson is performing at an extremely high level, and now he has additional tools in his arsenal, thanks to the appointment of Todd Monken as offensive coordinator. The quarterback recorded his highest passing statistics (67.2% of passes completed for 3,678 yards and 24 touchdowns), surpassing even his yardage production in 2019, the year he was named MVP. Naturally, none of this will matter if there is an unexpected misstep.
Why Bet on the Texans?
Meanwhile, the Texans crushed the Browns by a score of 45-14 during the wild-card weekend. Boosted by star quarterback C.J. Stroud, they were always in front on the scoreboard and were infinitely superior to Cleveland.
The Texans finished 10-7 during the regular season to win the AFC South.
In the most recent draft, they selected the young Ohio State Buckeyes prodigy, intending to make him the team’s starting quarterback, but thinking in the medium and long term. However, few anticipated that the rookie would have such immediate success, as he destroyed the Cleveland Browns, who entered as the best defense in the league, and now faces a different kind of test.
Texans quarterback Stroud will need to make plays against a tough Ravens secondary with Marlon Humphrey. He had an excellent season with 23 touchdown passes and 4,108 yards for 63.9% in competitive passes, but he will have to be careful against this defense that sells the ball and got 18 interceptions. If Stroud gets nervous about the Ravens’ pass coverage, it could create opportunities for Baltimore.
Final Betting Analysis: Ravens vs. Texans
In the 13 meetings between the Ravens and the Texans throughout history, Baltimore has won 11 of them, while the Texans have triumphed two times. The only postseason meeting between these teams occurred in 2011 when the Ravens defeated Houston 20-13 in the Divisional Round.
At Gambyl Betting Exchange, we can see that there is a Moneyline that favors the Ravens at 1.25, while the Texans start at 4.00.
Paternity plays a role in the NFL postseason. The Buccaneers’ beating of the Eagles probe that. In that context, the odds look bad for the Texans, and they are over-reliant on a youngster to produce.
For this Game, our prediction is a solid win for the Baltimore Ravens. However, if the underdogs manage to pull out the upset, be aware, as you may be witnessing the rise of a future Hall of Fame inclusion.
Look for a win on the Ravens’ Moneyline. For example, if you put $100 on them at 1.25, you’ll see a $25.00 success with a total payout of $125.00.
Ravens vs. Texans Betting Pick: Ravens
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