NFL Odds: Chiefs-Ravens ‘Monday Night Football’ Pick For Week 3
What a matchup on Monday night
You’d be hard-pressed to find a better matchup on the 2020 NFL season than what we’ve got coming our way Monday night.
The Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs will do battle in one of the most eagerly anticipated “Monday Night Football” matchups in quite some time. In addition to being a potential AFC Championship Game preview, the Monday night tilt features a matchup of arguably the NFL’s best quarterbacks with Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson.
Here’s our pick for Monday night’s Chiefs-Ravens game. The line provided via consensus data.
Kansas City Chiefs at (-3) Baltimore Ravens
Our only issue with this must-see matchup is how early it’s happening in the season. Both teams are undefeated, but it feels like this showdown would be better served later in the campaign. Beggars can’t be choosers, however.
There obviously hasn’t been a hotter team in football over the last year than the Chiefs. The defending Super Bowl champions have won their last 11 games, which is impressive on its own. That KC has covered in all but one of those games is borderline unprecedented. So far, so good, this season for the 2-0 Chiefs, who rolled the Houston Texans in Week 1 before eking out an overtime road win over the Los Angeles Chargers a week ago.
Something has to give, though. The Ravens have won 21 of Lamar Jackson’s 24 career starts, including a pair of convincing victories to kick off 2020. Baltimore has won its two games this season by a combined 49 points, and Jackson has been a big reason why with his 479 all-purpose yards. It’s not just offense for the Ravens, though. Their defense has held opponents to 21 or fewer points in 13 straight games.
The difference in the two defenses should be the difference in the game. Kansas City, despite its early-season success, is 23rd in yards per play allowed. The run defense looks like an issue again, entering the week 27th in yards per carry allowed — not exactly a recipe for success against a historically good rushing attack.
The pick: Baltimore -3
