The Baltimore Ravens (1-0) host the Las Vegas Raiders (0-1) in Week 2 of the 2024-25 NFL season for a battle between two defense-first AFC opponents. Kickoff is set for 1:00 PM EST on September 15th at M&T Bank Stadium.
This matchup looks pretty lopsided on paper, as the Ravens were literally inches away from knocking off Kansas City in Week 1 while Las Vegas struggled badly offensively in a loss to the Chargers.
Both of these head coaches pride themselves in establishing the run and playing hard-nosed defensive football. The issue for the Raiders will be whether or not they can keep pace on offense, as Lamar Jackson seems poised to lead the Ravens to another 400+ total yard outing in their home opener here in Week 2.
Matchup Details, Betting Market Information and Where to Watch
Oddsmakers opened this game up with the Raiders listed as 8.5-point road underdogs. The spread has increased by half a point after early betting, as Las Vegas is currently available at +9 on most sportsbooks. The total for this matchup is 41.5 points. Viewers hoping to watch the game should note that it will be televised exclusively on the CBS Sports Network. In Canada, the game will also be available on DAZN.
Las Vegas Raiders In Search of Answers Offensively
Despite a strong performance from the defense keeping them within reach for three quarters, Las Vegas had no momentum on offense whatsoever in a tough 22-10 opening loss to an AFC West rival. QB Gardner Minshew did his part, going 25/33 for 257 yards and a touchdown through the air, although he did also throw an interception as well. The bigger issue for Vegas was their anemic ground attack, as Zamir White and Alexander Mattison combined for only 63 rushing yards against a Chargers defense that struggled against the run at times in 2023-24.
The receiving corps for the Raiders also had a tough time getting open consistently, although rookie TE Brock Bowers did make an immediate impact with six receptions for 68 yards. Davante Adams underperformed to open the season though, recording only five catches for 59 yards.
On the other side of the ball, Las Vegas played their usual brand of tough defense and managed to hold Los Angeles to only 144 passing yards. However, the Raiders got torched on the ground by former Baltimore Ravens running back J.K, Dobbins, who exploded for 135 yards and a touchdown on just ten carries. That is certainly a major concern heading into Week 2 and a Ravens offense that loves to run the ball.
Baltimore Ravens A Toenail Away From Knocking Off Chiefs
The Ravens couldn’t come any closer to a potential win in Week 1, as TE Isaiah Likely initially appeared to make a game-winning catch at the back of the end zone before video replay showed that his big toe landed a fraction of an inch out of bounds. Still, there were a lot of positives to take away for Baltimore, as QB Lamar Jackson was highly effective through the air and on the ground. Jackson racked up almost 400 total yards of offense just by himself, including 122 rushing yards on a team-high 16 carries.
TE Isaiah Likely continued to turn heads after an impressive performance in the second half of 2023-24, as he hauled in nine receptions for a game-high 111 receiving yards and a touchdown despite the presence of a healthy Mark Andrews. RB Derrick Henry also found the end zone in his Ravens debut, scoring on one of his 13 carries for 46 total rushing yards.
Baltimore was given a very tough assignment defensively in Week 1 with a matchup against Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the high-flying Chiefs offense. The Ravens couldn’t find a way to slow down wideout Rashee Rice, as he broke the 100 yard plateau. Flashy rookie Xavier Worthy also gave Baltimore fits, scoring twice in his NFL debut. However, Baltimore did do a fantastic job containing star TE Travis Kelce, limiting him to just three total receptions for 34 yards.
Our Raiders vs Ravens NFL Betting Prediction and Pick
Despite the almost double-digit spread in this particular spot, it’s still hard to have a lot of confidence in the likelihood of Las Vegas staying competitive enough on the road against a very impressive Baltimore team to cover. The biggest issue I have with the Raiders this week is directly related to their performance against the run to open the year, as Los Angeles was absolutely dominant on the ground last Sunday.
Baltimore should have a field day running the ball at home here in Week 2, as they should have the benefit of a positive game script as well as multiple dangerous weapons out of the backfield with both Henry and Jackson himself in a great matchup.
Against the Spread Betting Market Tip: Ravens -9
While I would have loved to jump on board with Baltimore when they opened at -8.5 earlier in the week, I still think that they are a sharp play at any number 9.5 or below against a Raiders team that barely managed to put up double digit points against a middling Chargers defense in Week 1. Jackson and Co. easily could be 1-0 on the season right now and already looked poised to take down yet another AFC North division title after a pathetic start from Cincinnati.
Both Bowers and Adams should make some big catches at least a couple of times on Sunday afternoon, but I have a hard time imagining it will be even close to enough for the Raiders to keep pace with a Baltimore offense that could easily put up 30+ points in this spot. Minshew looked much more like a game manager than anything else in his Vegas debut, while the running game struggled to average more than 3.5 yards per attempt on the ground. I’ll lay the big number and take the decisive home favorites to cover in what should be a one-sided game.
