We’re back to close out Week 14 with a Monday Night Football matchup featuring a lot of AFC playoff implications. The New England Patriots host the Baltimore Ravens on ESPN, with kickoff scheduled for 5:30 p.m. PT. Sean McDonough and Jon Gruden will call the game from the booth, and Lisa Salters will have reports from the sideline.
The Patriots sit at 10-2, and a win clinches no worse than a tie for the AFC title. It also means they would need one more win or a Steelers loss to clinch a first round bye. They would only be a game up on the Kansas City Chiefs, so plenty more work there for them.
The Ravens are 7-5, and in a tough battle for the AFC North lead. If they win, they move back into a tie with the Steelers and have the temporary tie-break edge by virtue of a head-to-head win. The Ravens and Steelers play again in Week 16.
The Patriots are a 6.5-point favorite, and public money has been slightly in Baltimore’s favor. The Ravens run defense is looking really strong right now, and the Patriots pass defense is struggling enough that this could turn into a passing game shootout. I think the OVER is an intriguing bet even with both defenses not giving up a ton of points. I feel like we see a lot of passing. I think Baltimore gets the cover in a close loss.
Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots
Start time: 5:30 PM PT
TV channel: ESPN
Announcers: Sean McDonough, Jon Gruden, Lisa Salters
Online Streaming: WatchESPN
Odds: Patriots -6.5, 44.5