Ravens game vs Browns: 4.5-point favorites after Huntley heroics in OT win
Key takeaways
- The Ravens visit the Browns on Sunday, Oct. 18 at 1:00 p.m. ET. Baltimore is a 4.5-point favorite, with the total set at 41.5 points.
- Backup QB Tyler Huntley led a 30-23 OT win in Atlanta with Lamar Jackson sidelined by a sprained ankle. Jackson's Week 6 status remains unconfirmed.
- First place in the AFC North is on the line. Picks favor Baltimore, but one model likes Cleveland to keep the game close.
The Baltimore Ravens travel to Cleveland on Sunday, Oct. 18, as 4.5-point favorites against the Browns, per BetMGM odds.
The NFL Week 6 game kicks off at 1:00 p. m.
ET. First place in the AFC North is at stake.
What happened
Baltimore arrives in Week 6 with a 4-1 record. The Ravens beat the Atlanta Falcons 30-23 in overtime on Sunday night, Oct.
- They did it without Lamar Jackson. The starting quarterback sat out with a sprained left ankle, ESPN reported.
Backup Tyler Huntley stepped in and played the game of his life. He went 24 of 32 for 201 yards and two touchdowns, per NBC Sports. He made no turnovers all night.
The finish was pure drama. The Falcons led by eight late in regulation.
Huntley then led the game-tying drive. He found Devontez Walker for a 7-yard touchdown with 40 seconds left, the site reported.
Baltimore still needed two more points to tie. Derrick Henry then ran in the 2-point conversion. The game went to overtime tied at 23.
Huntley was not done. In overtime, he scored on a 1-yard touchdown run.
That gave Baltimore its first lead since the opening minutes. Safety Kyle Hamilton then intercepted Tua Tagovailoa to seal the 30-23 win, NBC Sports reported.
Henry carried the load all night. He rushed for 102 yards, per NBC Sports.
He also caught an 18-yard touchdown pass. Justice Hill added 73 yards on the ground.
His 47-yard burst set up a score.
The Falcons had their own injury trouble. Starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
hurt his ribs late in regulation, NBC Sports reported. Tagovailoa replaced him in overtime and threw the game-ending pick.
Cleveland comes in at 3-2 after a tough 17-12 loss to the New York Jets. The game was played in heavy rain, Dawgs By Nature reported.
The Browns allowed eight sacks and missed an extra point. Deshaun Watson remains their starting quarterback.
The Week 6 matchup is set for Sunday, Oct. 18, at 1:00 p.
m. ET.
It will be played at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland. The Ravens opened as 3.5-point favorites at DraftKings, per Sports Illustrated.
The line has since moved to Ravens -4.5 at most books, including BetMGM and FanDuel.
Baltimore is -235 on the moneyline, while Cleveland is +190, azcentral reported. The over/under sits at 41.5 points. Week 5 also delivered other close finishes, including the 49ers edging the Seahawks 32-29.
Why it matters
This game decides who leads the AFC North. Baltimore is 4-1. Cleveland is 3-2. A Browns win would pull them even with Baltimore. That is according to Dawgs By Nature.
The line movement tells its own story. The spread grew from Ravens -3.5 to -4.5 during the week. That shift came after Huntley proved the offense can win without Jackson.
The biggest unknown is Jackson's ankle. He missed the Falcons game with the sprain.
His status for Week 6 has not been confirmed, Dawgs By Nature reported. The same report noted the odds seem to lean toward a possible return.
If Jackson plays, Baltimore's offense gets even more dangerous. The Ravens average 29.2 points per game, according to a Bookies.
com model cited by azcentral. That ranks among the best marks in the NFL.
Cleveland's defense will have its hands full either way. The Browns allow 18.6 points per game on offense of their own, per that same model.
The model projects a Ravens win by about six points. It also suggests the Browns can cover the spread.
Huntley's rise matters beyond one game. That changes how they can manage Jackson's injury.
What happens next
The teams meet Sunday afternoon in Cleveland. Kickoff is 1:00 p.
m. ET on FOX, azcentral reported.
The winner takes sole control of the AFC North race.
Predictions lean toward Baltimore but allow for a close game. Arizona Republic writer Jeremy Cluff picked Ravens 28, Browns 17. He pointed to Derrick Henry and the Ravens' ground game as the difference.
Bookies. com sees it tighter.
Its model has Baltimore winning by six but recommends the Browns to cover the 4.5-point spread. Sports Betting Dime's formula projects Ravens 28.9, Browns 17.5. ESPN's analytics give Baltimore a 65.8% chance to win.
These are reported predictions, not guarantees. Odds move as kickoff nears and as injury news comes out. Bettors and fans should treat them as snapshots, not certainties.
After Sunday, both teams push into the heart of the season. Baltimore wants to protect its division lead.
Cleveland wants to steal it back at home. Around the football world, the Roughriders face the Alouettes in CFL action.
Soccer fans can catch up on Coventry's result against Newcastle.
Watch Jackson's practice status this week. That one piece of news will shape the spread more than anything else.
If he is cleared, the line could grow. If Huntley starts again, Baltimore has already shown it can win that way.
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