Monday Night Football Predictions & Best Bets - Week 9

We conclude Week 9 of the NFL season with the Baltimore Ravens traveling to take on the New Orleans Saints.

The Saints are coming off a 24-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, while the Ravens are coming off a Thursday Night Football win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

The Ravens are without wide receiver Rashod Bateman for the rest of the year due to a foot injury. The Saints also received news that wide receiver Michael Thomas is out with a toe injury for the year. 

Will his absence impact things? Will the Ravens' ample rest help them?

Let’s find out. 

Monday Night Football Best Bets

Baltimore Ravens -2.5 (-115) at DraftKings

Losing a wide receiver for the season for any team can be a difficult hurdle to overcome. Still, it’s not as big of a loss for the Ravens as other teams. Bateman operated as a competent No. 2 option, but tight end Mark Andrews will always be quarterback Lamar Jackson’s primary target (he’s doubtful to play in this game, though).

The Ravens do need that downfield threat to keep opposing defenses honest, and this week they elevated wide receiver DeSean Jackson from the practice squad, who, throughout his career, has always been a significant downfield threat.

The Saints will once again be without cornerback Marshon Lattimore and, as mentioned, Thomas is done for the season.

Thomas has been gone for some time, though, and this Saints offense is making it work.

The Ravens' defense can be scored on, but with this spread under three points, you can treat this spread as picking which will win outright, as most games don’t end with point differentials of two or less. 

Offensively, the Ravens should have plenty of success against the Saints, which allow over 208 passing yards and 112 rushing yards per game.

Jackson has been on the practice squad learning the offense for a few weeks now, so look for the quarterback Jackson to target him downfield and operate his typical offense style—scrambling, designed runs, and running the ball with Kenyan Drake and others. 

This should be a high-scoring game. 

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Over 48 (-110) at Caesars

With a total of 48, we’ll still take the over here. Both defenses are susceptible to being scored on, and the Saints still allow 25 points per game despite a shutout last week. Meanwhile, the Ravens allow about 23 points per game. 

The Saints, even without Thomas, have weapons such as wide receiver Chris Olave and running back Alvin Kamara. The Ravens have Jackson at quarterback, who can make things happen with his legs.

In a dome, the weather is no concern, and we should see something of a track meet in this one. 

The Ravens win this one 31-27. 

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