Ravens vs Colts Picks, Odds, Predictions, and Player Props for Week 1

Ravens vs Colts Picks, Odds, Predictions, and Player Props for Week 1

We've gathered all the betting info you need for the Ravens vs. Colts Week 1 matchup, including odds, picks, predictions, and a player prop bet.

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Baltimore heads to Indianapolis for an AFC opener featuring two teams with legitimate question marks—and two of the best running backs in football.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Indianapolis Colts Betting Odds for Week 1

Spread: Ravens -3.5 (-104, FanDuel)
Moneyline: Ravens -178
Game Total: Over 47.5 (-112), Under 47.5 (-108)

The Ravens are 3.5-point road favorites, which immediately makes this a tricky number. Three is one of the key numbers in football betting, and asking Baltimore to cover more than a field goal on the road in Week 1 is not exactly comfortable.

But the market is telling us something. If this game were in Baltimore, the Ravens would likely be closer to 6.5-point favorites. I believe Vegas sees a meaningful gap between these two teams.

Indianapolis has plenty to sort through. Daniel Jones is returning from a season-ending injury and will have to prove he can function in a live-game environment. Alec Pierce missed a substantial portion of the spring and summer. Tyler Warren has worked through a groin issue. Michael Pittman is no longer in town, leaving the Colts with a thinner receiver room than most people realize. Jonathan Taylor remains the reliable centerpiece, but there are legitimate questions around the rest of the offense.

Baltimore has more continuity in personnel, but not necessarily in scheme. Jesse Minter is the new head coach, and Declan Doyle takes over as offensive coordinator. Lamar Jackson called Doyle’s system “mind-blowing” earlier this offseason, but it is still a new system in a road opener. And maybe there will be some more growing pains.


Prediction & Pick for Ravens vs. Colts Week 1 Matchup

The Pick: Under 47.5 (-108, FanDuel)

I do think Baltimore wins and covers. The Ravens are the better team, Lamar Jackson is still Lamar Jackson, and Derrick Henry appears to have avoided Father Time for another season.

But my favorite bet is the under.

Both teams should want to play through their running games. Baltimore has Derrick Henry. Indianapolis has Jonathan Taylor. These are two true bell-cow backs in a league where that label is becoming rarer by the year. The Ravens should want to establish Henry early under Doyle, while the Colts have every reason to take pressure off Jones by turning around and handing the ball to Taylor.

That creates an obvious path to a clock-moving game.

Both defenses also tackled exceptionally well last season. Baltimore and Indianapolis ranked among the league’s best teams in missed tackles forced per attempt defensively, while both finished top 10 in yards before contact allowed per rush.

The concern for an under, of course, is explosive plays. Lamar is always capable of creating something out of nothing, and Taylor has enough juice to take one to the house. But Week 1 is often about teams leaning into what they know.


Best Player Prop Bet for Ravens vs. Colts

Mark Andrews Anytime Touchdown (+170, FanDuel)

Mark Andrews at plus money to score is a market I’m interested in every time, especially now.

Isaiah Likely is no longer in Baltimore. Charlie Kolar is gone, too. I am not sure how much tighter a grip Andrews can realistically have on the Ravens’ tight end role.

Andrews played the second-highest percentage of Baltimore’s snaps inside the five-yard line last season, trailing only Derrick Henry. That is exactly the type of role we want when betting an anytime touchdown prop. He is on the field when the money is made.

Yes, Henry will get his opportunities near the goal line. Jackson will always be a threat to run one in himself. But Andrews is the proven receiving mismatch in this offense, particularly in condensed areas of the field.

With a new system, a road opener, and an opponent that should make running consistently difficult, Baltimore may need Jackson to find his veteran tight end near the end zone. At +170, I’ll take that shot.

Players Mentioned in this Article

  1. Mark Andrews
    MarkAndrews
    TEBALBAL
    PPG
    6.2
    Proj
    7.5

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