Two teams headed in opposite directions clash in Glendale on Sunday as the Arizona Cardinals host the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens have won three of their last four and are coming off a rout against the Detroit Lions, while the Cards are on a four-game skid with each loss coming by double-digits.
Oddsmakers expect those trends to continue with NFL odds opening the Ravens as 8.5-point road favorites for this Week 8 odds showdown. Here are my best free NFL picks for Ravens vs. Cardinals on October 29.
Ravens vs Cardinals odds
Ravens vs Cardinals predictions
The Baltimore Ravens are peaking right now, coming off a dominant 38-6 victory against the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions. Quarterback Lamar Jackson was on fire, completing 21 of 27 passes for 357 yards and three scores and Baltimore added another 146 yards on the ground against a Detroit defense that had impressed over the past month.
On the other side of the ball, the Ravens prevented Detroit's usually efficient offense from getting into the end zone and allowed them into the red zone just once. Defense has been Baltimore's calling card this year and that unit ranks second in the NFL in both EPA/play and success rate. While they haven't been generating much of a pass rush, the Ravens are holding opposing passers to just 4.5 yards per attempt — easily the lowest mark in the league.
That should allow them to dominate an Arizona Cardinals offense that has averaged just 13.8 points per game over their last four games and is missing its top running back, James Conner. Arizona's offense outperformed expectations through the first three weeks of the year but regression has set in and QB Joshua Dobbs is back to playing like a scrub, completing just 51.9% of his passes for 182.3 passing yards per game over his last three.
There is a slim chance that the Cards will have Kyler Murray back under center after he returned from the PUP list last Wednesday. However, he'll be extremely rusty and his mobility will be compromised after missing the last 10 months due to a torn ACL.
The Cardinals have been even worse on defense, where they rank 29th in EPA and 32nd in success rate. This is a pretty big spread and Baltimore will likely be one of the most teased sides of the week to get this number under a field goal. However, considering Arizona has been getting blown out and Baltimore has taken care of business with some lopsided victories, I'll lay the points with the visitors.
My best bet: Ravens -8.5 (-110 at DraftKings)
Picks made at time of writing may not reflect live odds.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Ravens vs Cardinals same-game parlay
Ravens -9.5 (-110)
Lamar Jackson Under 232.5 passing yards (-110)
Gus Edwards Over 58.5 rushing yards (-110)
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Jackson is coming off a 357-yard performance in a lopsided victory against the Lions. That said, he typically throws much less in Baltimore's blowout victories. In the other three games this year where the Ravens have won by more than a touchdown, Jackson passed for 223, 186, and 169 yards respectively.
Considering we're betting on the Ravens to run away with this one, we should also be banking on them to run the ball more. That should mean fewer yards for Jackson but an increase in usage for the reliable Gus Edwards, who had 14 carries for 64 yards a week ago.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Ravens vs Cardinals spread and Over/Under analysis
The look-ahead line had the Ravens at -7.5 with the Over/Under at 43. When the official line hit the board after these teams played on Sunday, the spread ticked up to -8.5 while the total moved to 44.
The Ravens are 3-1 straight up and against the spread in their last four games. That said, this is their biggest spread since their season opener against the Texans when they won 25-9 as 9.5-point faves.
The Cardinals came into this season expected to be the worst team in the league. They were surprisingly competitive through the first three weeks of the year, going 3-0 ATS and upsetting the Dallas Cowboys. However, they've since performed exactly as we thought they would by going 0-4 SU and 0-3-1 ATS in their last four games and losing 20-10 to the Seahawks last week. Murray's potential return could give a much-needed spark to the offense but the Cardinals have until Nov. 8 to activate him to the roster.
Ravens vs Cardinals betting trend to know
The Ravens are 10-4 ATS in 14 games away from Baltimore since the start of last season. Find more NFL betting trends for Ravens vs. Cardinals.
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Ravens vs Cardinals game info
| Location: | State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ |
| Date: | Sunday, October 29, 2023 |
| Kickoff: | 4:25 p.m. ET |
| TV: | CBS |
| Opening odds: | Cardinals +9, 45.5 O/U |
Ravens vs Cardinals latest injuries
Ravens vs Cardinals weather
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