New England Patriots vs. Baltimore Ravens betting odds, prediction, preview
Baltimore looks for more magic in Week 16 and face a Patriots team ravaged by injury and stuck in a 1-7 ATS road streak. The odds say the Ravens will win, the computer likes New England to win and cover the spread.
Since starting the season off 4-6 SU, the Baltimore Ravens are a perfect 4-0 SU and are currently in an AFC Wild Card spot.
To stay there, they’ll likely need a win this week hosting the New England Patriots as a 2.5-point home favorite, according to most sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark.
And while the Ravens almost always win at home as favorites, the Patriots have been very tough as road underdogs, rolling up a profitable 9-3 ATS in 12 games like this.
However, those Patriots are also riding a wallet-sucking 1-7 ATS streak in their past eight road games. The computer is picking them to break that slump with a 25-22 result.
Baltimore grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat Monday night as Justin Tucker booted a 61-yard kick narrowly through the uprights to top Detroit 18-16 as a 4.5-point road underdog. The Ravens didn’t record a touchdown all game, but great play on defense and six field goals was all they needed.
The Ravens have been inconsistent on both sides of the ball this season, but down the stretch they have been finding ways to win.
The New England Patriots have also been finding ways to win, entering last Sunday’s game with late comeback wins in each of their previous three weeks. But the magic ran out on a fourth quarter drive against the Dolphins as the Patriots fell to 10-4 SU on the season and 0-3 ATS over their last three games (per closing spreads from 5Dimes.eu).
The Patriots have been ravaged by injuries, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
The Baltimore Ravens are 3-2 SU and 3-1-1 ATS in their last five games against the New England Patriots, including last year’s 28-13 postseason win in New England as an 8-point road underdog. The Patriots have likely been waiting all year for this opportunity to exact some revenge on Baltimore’s home field.
New England can lock up the AFC East with a win this week and keep control of its spot as the AFC’s second seed. Baltimore owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Miami Dolphins, and must finish these last two games with an equal or better record than the Dolphins to stay in the playoffs.
These two teams have plenty of history with three postseason meetings over the last four years, and this game should be another intense chapter in this rivalry.
Computer Prediction: 25-22 New England (from Pick Shark)
