Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens (-9)
Sorry, Baltimore. Not again. You have proven on numerous occasions that you are not to be trusted when giving points. First it was Week 13, covering the spread late in the fourth quarter, only to lose by a last second touchdown from Philip Rivers and the Chargers. Then it was the ‘we refuse to put away the Jacksonville Jaguars’ escapade, where a double-digit favorite basically never has the chance to cover. Finally, it’s the ‘no-brainer,’ where the Houston Texans are nailing flyers to telephone poles to try to find a quarterback for their Week 16 game. Naturally, Baltimore loses.
0-3 as favorites since their Week 11 bye, the Ravens have technically underperformed with high expectations so much that they can no longer be trusted.
In that regard, Baltimore – previously abandoned – becomes an excellent pick. Add to the mix the fact that the Ravens have hung around in the AFC playoff picture despite their underwhelming 2-3 divisional record, and you have a resilient team with a high potential to bounce back.
The Ravens win by two touchdowns and cover.
