NFL Betting: Why We Still Love the Ravens as a Super Bowl Bet

The Baltimore Ravens had a bumpy weekend by allowing the Browns to climb back and pull off an upset win in Baltimore. It was a major step back for a Ravens team that had won four straight games and seemed destined to win the AFC.

Below we will share the latest odds from NFL betting sites and insights to explain why we are still betting on the Ravens to win this year’s Super Bowl.

DraftKings Sportsbook have the Niners and Chiefs as co-favorites to become Super Bowl champions. The 8-1 Eagles are a close second, while the Ravens are a distant fourth.

The Ravens current price is a big reason we love this bet. It dropped after their loss to the Browns on Sunday, making now the right time to lock this Super Bowl bet in.

This conversation must begin with quarterback Lamar Jackson. The All-Pro has struggled with injuries the last two seasons, but it has not shown in 2023. Jackson has thrown for 2,177 yards and 10 touchdowns while completing 70.3% of his passes. The 26-year-old has also been devastating on the ground, rushing for 481 yards and five touchdowns.

While the Ravens planned to protect Jackson by limiting his rushing in 2023, but that plan fell apart after starting running back JK Dobbins suffered a season-ending injury in the team’s first game. Jackson is averaging 5.1 yards per carry, which has helped open room for backup running back Gus Edwards (502 YDS, 8 TD). The success of the duo has Baltimore averaging the most rushing yards per game (154.9).

Tight End Mark Andrews (521 YDS, 6 TD) and rookie receiver Zay Flowers (545 YDS, 1 TD) have been the top two targets for Jackson. While that doesn’t give Jackson a ton of weapons, that may be changing with Odell Beckham Jr. starting to do some damage. He had a 40-yard touchdown catch last week, his second consecutive game with a touchdown.

As impressive as Lamar Jackson and the offense is, the defense is arguably the best in the league. Baltimore is second in the NFL in yards (273.6 YDS/G) and first in opponent scoring (15.7 PTS.G) and sacks (39). A big reason for their success has been the addition of Jadeveon Clowney (5.5 sacks, 6 TFLS, 3 PD), as well as a breakout campaign from Justin Madubuike (8.5 sacks, 9 TFL).

While the Ravens had a rough showing on Sunday, the other three Super Bowl favorites have all run into surprising struggles. That includes the Niners, who were able to bounce back to break a three-game losing streak on Sunday. They are built to win a Super Bowl, but we have seen some cracks show in Brock Purdy, and it led to three ugly losses.

The Chiefs are the reigning Super Bowl Champions and seem destined for another run. Their defense is even better than last season, but the lack of a receiving crops continues to be a problem. They have not found reliable pass catchers outside of Travis Kelce. While they can work around that during the regular season, it will be a big problem against elite defenses (like Baltimore) in the playoffs.

Lastly, the Eagles have a major issue stopping the pass. It is negating their league best run defense as opponents are chosen to abandon the run. While they managed to contain an elite Miami pass attack, the Eagles have allowed 54 points over their last two games. The Philly offense is great and has overcome their defensive struggles, but they will be vulnerable to good passing teams in the postseason.