Ravens are heavy home favorites vs. Panthers in Week 11 matchup
The Ravens are double-digit favorites over the Carolina Panthers ahead of their matchup Sunday in Baltimore, according to Las Vegas sportsbooks.
The Ravens (6-3), who enter Week 11 on a season-best three-game winning streak, are 12-point favorites over the Panthers (3-7). Carolina is coming off a 25-15 win over the Atlanta Falcons in “Thursday Night Football,” but with quarterback P.J. Walker (ankle) unavailable this week, interim coach Steve Wilks announced Monday that starter turned backup Baker Mayfield will lead the offense again Sunday.
The Ravens have not been favored by more than a touchdown in any of their games this season. They covered the spread as 6 1/2-point favorites against the New York Jets, winning their season opener, 24-9, but had to hang on as 6 1/2-point favorites in a 23-20 victory over the Cleveland Browns three weeks ago.
The Panthers, meanwhile, have not been favored since Week 4 and are the third-worst team in the NFL, according to Football Outsiders’ efficiency metrics. Carolina is 2-3 since firing coach Matt Rhule, including a stunning 21-3 win in Week 7 over the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who entered the game as 13-point favorites. It was the Panthers’ first game since trading their best player, running back Christian McCaffrey, to the San Francisco 49ers.
The Ravens, coming off their bye week, should be well-rested Sunday. But according to CBS Sports, the team is just 1-4 against the spread in its past five games following a bye. The Ravens also haven’t covered the spread in any of their four games at M&T Bank Stadium, though their Week 5 loss to the Buffalo Bills was a push.
The Ravens are 2-4 against Carolina all time, including a 36-21 road loss in 2018, their most recent meeting. The Ravens are 1-3 away from Baltimore, with their lone road win in the series coming in a 2010 blowout.
The over-under for Sunday’s game is 43 1/2 points.
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