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The New York Jets will open the new season without starting quarterback Zach Wilson due to injury. Former Ravens Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco instead will get his first start against his ex-Baltimore team. The Ravens are solid favorites on the NFL odds.

How to Bet Ravens at Jets NFL Odds & TV Info

When: Sunday, 1 PM ET
Where: MetLife Stadium
TV: CBS
Radio: http://www.siriusxm.com/nfl
Stream Option: https://nflst.directv.com/
Opening NFL Lines: Ravens -7.5 (total 44.5)

Last Meeting

The teams last played Week 15 of the 2019 season in Baltimore and the Ravens rolled 42-21. Baltimore took control with touchdowns on its first three possessions and Lamar Jackson made it 28-7 in the third quarter with a 24-yard scoring pass to Marquise Brown following a turnover by New York. Jackson threw for five scores and rushed for 86 yards. Sam Darnold was the Jets’ QB then and wasn’t great.

Why Bet on Baltimore?

In 2021, after starting the season with an AFC-best 8-3 record, the Ravens dropped their last six games – five of which came by a combined 8 points. With a final 8-9 record, Baltimore missed the playoffs for the first time in four seasons and for just the fifth time during head coach John Harbaugh’s 14-year tenure.

Baltimore’s offense ranked No. 6 in total yards (378.8 ypg) and registered the league’s No. 3 rushing attack (145.8 ypg). The Ravens produced the NFL’s No. 1 run defense (84.5 ypg) and ranked No. 3 on third down (34.8%). Lamar Jackson missed five games, including the final four contests due to an ankle injury. Still earning Pro Bowl honors, Jackson was 246-of-382 passing for 2,882 yards, 16 TDs and 13 INTs, adding a team-high 767 rushing yards. All-Pro TE Mark Andrews was sensational, producing single-season team records for receptions (107) and receiving yards (1,361 – which also rank third most by a TE in NFL single-season history).

In 49 career starts, Jackson has 20 rushing touchdowns. With a rushing touchdown at the New York Jets on Sunday, he will tie Steve Grogan (21 rushing touchdowns) and Steve McNair (21) for the fourth-most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in his first 50 starts since 1970. Jackson has compiled a 3-0 record as a starter and has nine touchdown passes and no interceptions for a 145.4 passer rating in four Kickoff Weekend appearances, the highest passer rating ever by a quarterback on Kickoff Weekend (minimum 75 pass attempts).

Jackson apparently will enter the season without a contract extension barring a last-minute shift in talks. The former MVP Jackson said in August that he would cut off contract extension talks once the regular season starts. Jackson has bulked up and improved as a thrower this offseason.

Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said projected No. 1 running back J.K. Dobbins (knee) is “ascending quickly.” Harbaugh wouldn’t commit to Dobbins playing in Week 1. Dobbins was at practice Wednesday and will likely get a limited tag once the official injury report drops. If he can’t go, Mike Davis and Kenyan Drake will split Baltimore’s backfield. Dobbins missing the Ravens’ opener could also force them to pass more.

The Ravens are 5-1 in Kickoff Weekend games since 2016 and have outscored their opponents 204-59 in that span.

Why Bet on NY Jets?

Starting QB Zach Wilson hurt his knee in the first preseason game and had minor surgery. It was always a long shot for him to play in the opener and not only will he miss it but not return until Week 4 at the earliest in a surprise. The initial thought was Wilson had an outside shot to return for Week 1 and Coach Robert Saleh said Monday it was a possibility. But Saleh said after consulting with the doctors, they have decided to hold Wilson out for longer than initially expected.

“The earliest he’s going to be available is Pittsburgh,” Saleh said. “That’s going to be the earliest just from everything we gathered over the last couple of days. Now, can that change? I’m always going to leave that door open. You guys know me. I’m the eternal optimist. But we are going to make sure that both mind and body are 110 percent and do right by him and we feel like talking to the doctors and everyone, it’s going to be that Pittsburgh week.”

Saleh said the Jets did not place Wilson on injured reserve because they want him to be able to practice as soon as he is healthy enough. Players on IR are out for at least four weeks.

So it will be former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco under center. Flacco hasn’t started a season opener since 2019, his first and only season with the Denver Broncos. This matchup probably has special meaning because he will face the team that drafted him in 2008, the team he quarterbacked to a Super Bowl title after the 2012 season. He was replaced late in the 2018 season by the Ravens’ current starter, Lamar Jackson. Flacco will become only the second quarterback in league history to play a season opener against a team he won a Super Bowl with.

Flacco has lost seven straight starts, the last five with the Jets and the first two with the Broncos. His most recent win as a starter was Oct. 13, 2019, for the Broncos. He played well in his only start last season, throwing for 291 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to the Miami Dolphins.

“Cool Joe,” Saleh said. “He’s been preparing. He’s freaking awesome and I’m really excited for him and his opportunity. Even at 37, I know it’s in the back of his head, he’s getting a chance to play Baltimore and all these different things. Even at 37, he has to keep the main thing the main thing and do his best and trust his best is good enough. I think we’re all excited for Joe and his opportunity and excited for Sunday.”

Mike White is entrenched as the backup for the first three weeks of the season, which includes a date with the Cincinnati Bengals, whom White has his breakout game last season, going 37/45 for 405 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-31 win over the eventual AFC champions on Halloween.

It’s typical for rookies to be at the bottom of the depth chart, particularly at the running back position. Now that the regular season is upon us, the Jets have bumped rookie Breece Hall up to RB2, still behind Michael Carter. Ty Johnson is the third running back.

Sunday will be the first time defensive end Carl Lawson will take a regular-season snap for the Jets after signing in March 2021. He ruptured his Achilles tendon that July. Against Baltimore, the former Bengal has 1 sack and 6 QB hits in 7 games.