Ravens vs Commanders Odds, Pick, NFL Preseason Prediction

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Ravens vs. Commanders Odds

Monday, Aug. 21
8 p.m. ET
ESPN
Ravens Odds
SpreadTotalMoneyline
-1.5
-110
37.5
-110o / -110u
-130
Commanders Odds
SpreadTotalMoneyline
+1.5
-110
37.5
-110o / -110u
+110
Odds via bet365. Get up-to-the-minute NFL odds here.
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Week 2 of the NFL preseason concludes with a Ravens vs. Commanders pick on Monday night at FedEx Field.

The Ravens, of course, enter with a 24-game preseason winning streak. It's one of the most bizarre streaks in sports, and, naturally, that means Baltimore preseason games now generate an atypical amount of interest.

Can Baltimore run its streak up to 25 games, or will Washington spoil something we may never see again? Let's break down the Ravens vs. Commanders odds and see where I land with my betting pick.


Ravens vs. Commanders

Matchup Analysis

Baltimore's last preseason defeat was in 2015, back in a time before Donald Trump was the Republican nominee for president and Tom Brady had just won his fourth Super Bowl ring. What's arguably more impressive than the streak is that head coach John Harbaugh holds a 44-12 overall record in preseason games.

One of the craziest things about this run is that the Ravens aren't going all-out to keep it going. Last week, they beat the Eagles without the likes of Lamar Jackson, J.K. Dobbins, Roquan Smith, Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Williams and more.

Josh Johnson and Tyler Huntley have split the majority of reps at quarterback, with a little sprinkling of Anthony Brown, against the Eagles last week. Johnson and Huntley each had eight completions and combined for 133 passing yards with one touchdown pass apiece. Sean Ryan, an undrafted rookie, led the team in receptions and receiving yards.


Bet Baltimore vs. Washington at FanDuel

Ravens -1.5

Commanders +1.5


Word from joint scrimmages is that the Commanders have had the edge on the Ravens. Humphrey is on the record saying that he's been impressed by Sam Howell, the second-year player who has been tabbed as Washington's starting quarterback.

That being said, it's risky to listen to training camp reports — just as reading too much into preseason games is — but it's worth considering.

The Commanders beat the Browns on the road last week and played fairly well. Howell connected on 9-of-12 passes for 77 yards and a touchdown. Jacoby Brissett and Jake Fromm also saw time, and both completed over 50% of their pass attempts, but each also threw an interception each.

Elsewhere, we saw other first-stringers like Brian Robinson Jr., Jahan Dotson and Terry McLaurin play briefly. We don't know for sure how many starters will play against Baltimore, with Ron Rivera keeping his cards close to his vest, but it's worth looking back at Washington's second preseason contest from last year.

In that game against the Chiefs, we saw then-starter Carson Wentz play, as well as Antonio Gibson, Curtis Samuel, McLaurin and Robinson. There's history of Rivera playing his best guys in the second preseason game and I'm fairly confident we'll see his big names on the field tonight.

Ravens vs. Commanders

Betting Picks & Predictions

It ends tonight.

One thing that has been clear in these joint practices is that the Commanders genuinely want to end this streak. Washington right guard Sam Cosmi went as far to call it a "stupid record." He added, "Who gives a s*** about preseason games?" Well, it seems like the Commanders will when it comes to tonight.

Given the disdain that Commanders players seem to have for Baltimore's streak, plus the performance we saw from Washington against the Browns, that's enough for me to back the underdog's moneyline.

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