Thursday Night Football was supposed to be a meeting of two AFC contenders. Instead, Baltimore is down to its third-string quarterback, and Jacksonville arrives as one of the hottest teams in football. Underdog is offering new users promo code FOXNEWS to play $10 and get $50 in bonus entries on Ravens vs. Jaguars.
Baltimore’s season fell apart in one snap. Lamar Jackson jammed his right thumb on the first play of Sunday’s 36-10 loss in Buffalo, and he’s now on injured reserve and headed for surgery, with the remainder of his season in question. Tyler Huntley left the same game with a turf toe injury that’s reportedly season-ending, and Skylar Thompson is already on IR. That leaves undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano, who’s nursing an ankle injury of his own, in line to start on a short week.
Fagnano didn’t look completely ready in relief on Sunday. He finished 10 of 21 for 91 yards with an interception and a lost fumble against the Bills. The Ravens have lost three straight, and they’re just 7-13 all-time in games Jackson misses.
Jacksonville is the opposite story. The Jaguars are 5-2, lead the AFC South and own the best point differential in the NFL at +85. They’re coming off a 42-7 demolition of the Colts, and Trevor Lawrence has thrown 17 touchdowns against just four interceptions. The line tells the story: Baltimore opened as a field-goal favorite and is now nearly a double-digit home underdog.
Odds are subject to change
Joe Fagnano passing yards (lower): A rookie making his first real start on a short week, against a Jacksonville defense that’s rolling, is a tough spot. Baltimore will try to protect him with a conservative game plan, and his first extended look against Buffalo produced 91 yards. The lower is the cleanest pick on the board.
Trevor Lawrence passing yards (higher): Lawrence is playing the best football of his career, and Baltimore’s secondary could be without cornerback Nate Wiggins, who’s questionable with a concussion, but was a full participant earlier in the week. If the Jaguars build an early lead, Lawrence may not need to throw late, but he should do plenty of damage before the game gets out of reach.
Derrick Henry rushing attempts (higher): With a rookie under center, the Ravens’ best chance is to hand Henry the ball and shorten the game. Even if Baltimore falls behind, expect offensive coordinators to lean on the run to keep Fagnano out of obvious passing downs for as long as possible.
The Jaguars have the better quarterback, the better defense and all the momentum. Baltimore has home field, a short week to prepare a rookie and a series history that’s been closer than this line suggests, with the Ravens winning three of the last five meetings. Building picks around the quarterback gap is the smartest way to attack this one.
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