Eagles vs. Ravens Predictions, Picks & Odds

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11 August 2023

Eagles vs. Ravens Predictions, Picks & Odds

Will the Baltimore Ravens extend their preseason winning streak to 24 games against the defending NFC champions?

Trend bettors, rejoice! The time has come to bet on the Baltimore Ravens in the preseason, and that's sure to excite anyone who loves a solid trend.

John Harbaugh and the Ravens boast an impressive 23 consecutive preseason wins, and the head coach himself holds a 38-16-1 career record against the spread in preseason contests.

Not only do favorable trends align, but betting on NFL preseason action also revolves around the quality of backup quarterbacks on a team, and the Ravens possess strong options. Tyler Huntley and Anthony Brown both made starts during the regular season for the Ravens in 2022, and Josh Johnson even saw action during the NFC Championship Game for the San Francisco 49ers.

Given that all signs seem to point toward betting on the Ravens, you might wonder why I'm favoring the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1 of the preseason. Let's dive into the betting odds more closely and also consider that Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota is serving as a backup in Philadelphia.

Here is our best Eagles-Ravens prediction for the Week 1 preseason opener (odds via our best sports betting apps; Pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Eagles vs. Ravens prediction

Eagles +5 (-110 via Barstool) ⭐⭐⭐

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I'm going against the Ravens, everyone's favorite preseason bet. Just because they've won 23 consecutive preseason matchups doesn't mean the team has covered 23 straight point spreads.

Harbaugh openly said none of his regular starters will get any action in this game. He was also non-committal about whether rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers would receive any action. The Ravens seem determined to play this game entirely with backups.

Turning to the Eagles, Nick Sirianni hasn't given us a clear answer about who will be playing. In 2022 the Eagles' starters did play one series to begin Week 1 of the preseason, with Jalen Hurts going 6-for-6 passing for 80 yards and a touchdown. It's wise to back the Eagles at +5 If Sirianni follows a similar approach. There's an opportunity to put yourself in an advantageous position, as there's still a slight chance the starters might play one series. If you back the Ravens at -5, we already know the starters won't play at all.

The Ravens initially opened at -3.5 before reaching as high as -6 at several of our best sportsbooks. However, the line mostly adjusted to Ravens -4.5 after Harbaugh announced the starters wouldn't play on Thursday afternoon.

Barstool is the exception, with that book remaining at Ravens -5. If we were still dealing with the opening line of Ravens -3.5 and the potential for some Ravens starters to play, a bet on the Eagles wouldn't be as appealing. But with the Ravens' starters ruled out and the Eagles now trading at +5 due to the widespread preference to bet on the Ravens during the preseason, I need to side with the Eagles. While it might seem like just a one-and-a-half-point difference, that gap holds significant importance, especially when considering key numbers and the low total of 35.5.

Eagles vs. Ravens best odds

Depending on your location, the most favorable price on the Eagles at +5 (-110) can be found at Barstool or theScore, and the difference isn't negligible. All of our other best sports betting sites are listing the Eagles as 4.5-point underdogs with similar odds at -110.

Additionally, FanDuel is featuring the Eagles at +4.5 (-115). Surrendering an extra five cents of juice for a spread that's half a point less favorable would be a significant error in this scenario.

Eagles vs. Ravens odds

At Pinnacle, the Ravens opened as 3.5-point favorites before reaching as high as 6 points until Harbaugh announced none of his starters will play. The market's fascination with betting on the Ravens during the preseason undoubtedly prompted the initial shift from Ravens -3.5 to -6.

With the Ravens' starters now ruled out, we observed the spread adjusting to Ravens -4.5 across all of our best live betting sites. Barstool is the exception, with that shop still posting the Ravens as 5-point favorites, which is why we're going with the Eagles to cover that spread.