Lamar Jackson and Carson Wentz face off in a battle between former first round quarterbacks on Monday Night Football. Jackson leads the Baltimore Ravens into Week 5, and the multi-dimensional quarterback is capable of torturing opposing defenses with both his arm and legs. Wentz keys the Indianapolis Colts, and he showed real signs of progress in a Week 4 win. Baltimore is 3-1 this season, with Indianapolis entering at 1-3 through four weeks.
Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. ET at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. Caesars Sportsbook lists Baltimore as 7.5-point favorites at home, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 46.5 in the latest Ravens vs. Colts odds. Before you make any Colts vs. Ravens picks and NFL predictions, see what SportsLine's advanced computer model has to say.
The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up almost $7,900 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception six-plus years ago. It went a sizzling 24-14 on top-rated NFL picks last season, returning more than $800. The model also enters Week 5 of the 2021 season on an incredible 124-82 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season.
The model also ranked in the top 10 on NFLPickWatch four of the past five years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 94 percent of CBS Sports Football Pick'em players four times during that span. Anyone who has followed it is way up.
Now, the model has set its sights on Colts vs. Ravens. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NFL betting lines and trends for Colts vs. Ravens:
Ravens vs. Colts spread: Ravens -7.5 Ravens vs. Colts over-under: 46.5 points Ravens vs. Colts money line: Ravens -360, Colts +285 IND: The Colts are 2-2 against the spread this season BAL: The Under has hit in last two Ravens gamesFeatured Game | Baltimore Ravens vs. Indianapolis Colts
The Colts are responsible with the ball, committing only four turnovers in four games, and they have talent with Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman at the skill positions. Beyond that, Indianapolis has a path to success with Baltimore struggling in pass defense (24th in NFL) and third down defense (26th). From there, the Colts can lean on their defense, which ranks No. 8 in the NFL in total defense, giving up 330.8 yards per game.
Indianapolis allowed only 203 yards and 17 points last week in a win over Miami, and the Colts have allowed only one rushing touchdown this season. That is a key against a run-heavy Ravens team, and the Colts rank in the top 10 in turnover creation (eight), forced fumbles (five), first downs allowed (76), passing defense (216.8 yards allowed per game), and third down efficiency allowed (39.0 percent).
Why the Ravens can coverJackson is one of the most talented and effective offensive players in the NFL, as evidenced by a previous MVP honor. Jackson puts pressure on the opposition with elite rushing ability and a potent arm, and he currently leads the NFL in yards per pass completion (14.4). Jackson is a top-five player in yards per attempt (8.7), illustrating his efficiency, and his rushing numbers are off the charts for a quarterback. He ranks in the top 10 overall in rushing yards this season, generating 279 yards on the ground in four games, and Jackson is tied for third in the league in averaging 6.6 yards per carry.
Jackson also has intriguing weapons, including tight end Mark Andrews, and Marquise Brown is experiencing a breakout in his third season. Brown ranks in the top 10 of the NFL in receiving yards (326) and receiving touchdowns (three), and the speedy pass-catcher ranks seventh in the league, averaging a robust 17.2 yards per catch for the season.
How to make Ravens vs. Colts picksSportsLine's model is leaning over on the total, with both teams projected to generate more than 100 rushing yards. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations. You can only see which side to back here.
So who wins Colts
