We went 3-1 on NFL preseason picks last weekend, and as of Saturday afternoon, we are 1-0-1 this weekend. Preseason betting isn’t all that fun, but it’s better than the alternative, which is no action on football at all. Every week, I’ll post my top picks on Monday and provide an update before each game — you can check out all of my NFL preseason Week 2 picks here. Let’s dig into today’s Ravens-Commanders betting odds as we make our predictions and pick the best NFL preseason bet!
Looking for more 2023 NFL predictions? OddsShopper’s experts are here to break down the upcoming NFL season — make sure to check out the rest of our NFL articles, including our AFC North and NFC East previews. Come back during the NFL season for our market-based betting model’s picks and best bets — or try it out for Week 1 now!
Ravens-Commanders Pick & Preseason Betting Prediction
Ravens-Commanders Betting Odds
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
Ravens: -120 | Commanders: +100
Ravens -2: -105 | Commanders +2: -115
Over 38.5: -110 | Under 38.5: -110
Ravens-Commanders Pick & Prediction
Yikes — the market has moved against our pick from the early week column quite heavily. I’m not quite sure why, as we all knew the Commanders would be trying to figure things out with their first-string offense under Sam Howell, putting Baltimore’s second unit at a disadvantage. That said, Washington’s starters aren’t going to play the full game. Although head coach Ron Rivera has signaled confidence in Howell, already naming him the opening-week starter, that just makes him less likely to see extended preseason reps as he has less to prove.
We bet on the Ravens to extend their preseason winning streak to 24 last week, and while we didn’t make a ton of money, they did get the job done. Let’s keep riding one of the most impressive active streaks in sports that dates back to the 2016 preseason, which followed John Harbaugh’s worst as the head coach of the Ravens. Baltimore lost multiple preseason games that year before going 5-11, so it makes sense why Harbaugh wants to avoid a similar mistake — even if these games don’t count.
The Ravens showed some major areas for improvement in last week’s win, but I have faith they’ll deliver. Veteran quarterback Josh Johnson started the game and completed 66.7% of his passes for only 3.4 NY/A but threw for a touchdown. Anthony Brown then took over and completed only 37.5% of his passes for 0.9 NY/A. But the silver lining, and what led Baltimore to a 24th-straight victory, was Harbaugh’s willingness to insert backup Tyler Huntley at the start of the second half, who then completed 72.7% of his passes for 8 NY/A and a touchdown.
It was Baltimore’s aggressive defense that led the team to its 24th straight win. The Ravens shut down the Eagles in key spots, including a late-game two-point conversion attempt that would’ve cost them the lead. The additions of cornerback Ronald Darby and pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney mean that we could see some extra snaps for effective, veteran defenders who are trying to learn the ropes.
In contrast, Washington’s passive defensive play nearly cost them a Week 1 win. The Commanders opened out to a 17-2 lead early in the third quarter before allowing the Browns to score a pair of second-half touchdowns, bringing the final margin to two. Cleveland’s offense averaged a healthy 5.4 yards per play but just couldn’t score due to turnovers and a missed field goal.
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Ravens-Commanders NFL Preseason Pick: Baltimore Moneyline -120 at FanDuel
