The Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens have both been inconsistent to start the season. However, both enter their Week 9 matchup coming off losses.
Minnesota played on Sunday Night Football against a Dak Prescott-less Cowboys team and lost 20-16 at home. Many have already said their piece on primetime Kirk Cousins struggling yet again, so I’ll save you that story. What I will say about this Vikings team, however, is that Minnesota hasn’t beaten a team currently with a winning record, while all four losses have come to teams at .500 or better.
Meanwhile, Baltimore will be champing at the bit to get back on the field after its bye week. In Week 7, the Ravens were blown out at home by the Cincinnati Bengals 41-17.
Look for the Ravens to get back in front of their rowdy home crowd and make a statement on Sunday. Despite not playing last week, Baltimore took sole ownership of the top spot in the AFC North and it will not want to give that up quickly.
Without further ado, let’s dive into our Vikings vs Ravens predictions and best bets.
Please note that all odds are current as of 3:30 p.m. ET on Friday, November 5.
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Vikings vs Ravens Prediction
As stated above, the Vikings have beaten the bad teams on their schedule and lost to anyone who could still be in playoff contention in a month. The loss to a quarterback making his first career start has to be an embarrassing one, but one has to ask if this Minnesota team is good enough to bounce back on the road.
If the Vikings’ pass rush doesn’t get home, their secondary gets exposed. However, that’s not the biggest worry in this game. The Vikings allow 4.6 yards per rushing attempt, which is tied for the fifth-most in the NFL.
Minnesota is not good enough to overcommit to stopping the run and still be successful defensively. We saw this against the Cowboys, as they dared Cooper Rush to beat them. That decision backfired as Rush proceeded to pass for over 300 yards and produced two 100-yard receivers.
As for the Ravens, their rushing attack hasn’t been as lethal this season, though the bye week came at a good time. Baltimore will get a healthier version of the backfield and offensive line in Week 9 and look to establish the run early. If they can pick up four or five yards per carry, the Vikings have zero chance to win this game.
If Minnesota overcommits to stopping the run again, Lamar Jackson can take advantage through the air. Jackson is proving himself capable of slinging it this season, completing 65% of his passes and registering two 300-yard passing days (including a career-high 442 in Week 5) so far this season.
Jackson may be asked to pass often in this game, and that shouldn’t be much of an issue against this Vikings defense.
Prediction: Ravens 30, Vikings 21
Ravens TE Mark Andrews could be in line for a bunch of targets if Lamar Jackson is forced to throw more in Week 9. (Image: USA TODAY Sports)
Vikings vs Ravens Best Bets
Best Bet: Ravens -6 (-110) at BetMGM
Wager: 1 Unit
The Ravens will look to test the Vikings’ run defense early. Baltimore will either have success, or the Vikings will overcommit to stopping the run as they did against the Cowboys.
This will open up the play-action game, where Jackson and the Ravens are deadly. Also, Baltimore suddenly has a group of pass catchers that defenses must respect in Marquise Brown, Mark Andrews, and Sammy Watkins.
Regardless of how the Baltimore defense looks, the Ravens offense should be able to carry this team on Sunday, making this our NFL bet of the day.
Best Bet: Over 49.5 (-110) at BetMGM
Wager: 1 Unit
The trends point to this being a high-scoring game. The over is 3-1 for the Ravens when they have played at home this season. As for the Vikings, the over is 3-0 when they play on the road. Look for the offenses to show up and the defenses to have their lapses.
Thanks for reading our NFL Week 9 Vikings vs Ravens Predictions! For more NFL betting tips, check out our NFL Week 9 Best Bets.
