Don’t look now, but the Baltimore Ravens are undefeated so far in the season and are currently perched atop the AFC North division. Matter of fact, if all goes according to plan for Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh, the Ravens will be 4-0 by the end of this week’s game against Oakland, one win short of their total number of victories in the entire 2015 campaign. Is that too much to ask from the Ravens at home against the rising Raiders? Maybe. But after facing adversity and still remaining unbeaten this far, you may want to read our all-inclusive preview of this game before deciding on where to place your wagers in Sunday’s NFL betting lines.
In Depth Analysis On The NFL Week 4 Raiders At Ravens Free Picks
Where: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore
When: Sunday, October 2, 4:05 PM ET
TV: CBS
Live Stream: CBS Sports Network
NFL Lines: Baltimore (-3.5), OVER/UNDER 46
Why Bet on Oakland
With 80 points scored and 79 points allowed from their first three games of the season, it is clear that Oakland Raiders’ offense has been the chiefly reason behind the team’s 2-1 start to the season. But on a noteworthy observation, last week’s 17-10 road victory at Tennessee was largely creditable to Oakland’s defense, forcing three turnovers and holding a late goal line stand to prevent a comeback from Marcus Mariota and the Titans. More of that defensive effort and a clinical output from Derek Carr and his offense will be required if the Raiders are to upend the Ravens. The offseason signings are starting to gel together and the experience of Carr and his fellow veterans looks like it could lead to big things for the Raiders this year (and in the seasons to come), but more decisiveness and precision must be seen on the field against the very experienced Ravens.
Why Bet on Baltimore
From the early look of things, it seems like the Ravens will be making a return to the playoffs after sitting out in the cold last season. Joe Flacco isn’t as explosive with big throws and dazzling runs as he used to do in his youthful days, but he’s substituted that with good decision-making skills whenever he has the ball. This was evident in last week’s game against the Jaguars, as he set a new franchise record with 21 straight completions, which was one completion away from tying the NFL record at 22. Meanwhile, Baltimore’s young defense continues to show tenacity, having recorded five interceptions already this year while allowing 14.7 PPG (fourth-best in the NFL). Combine that with the experience that Harbaugh brings to the team as a coach, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to expect a fourth win from the Ravens this week.
Expert NFL Predictions and Picks
Pretty much everything doesn’t look favorable for the Raiders here. For one, winning in Baltimore is never easy, and that will even be made harder by the fact that this is Oakland’s third cross-country flight of the season. Second, Baltimore’s defense is playing much better than it has done in a long time while the offense is much disciplined, something that looks likely to work in their favor against the oft-erratic Raiders. Third, Baltimore has owned this series, more so at home where it has gone 5-0 SU and ATS in its last five meetings against Oakland. So, in short, we strongly feel that Flacco will celebrate the birth of his first baby girl by leading the Ravens to a convincing win over Oakland this Sunday.
