The 2-0 Baltimore Ravens and the 0-2 Jacksonville Jaguars appear to be headed in opposite directions. But does that all change in Week 3?
Following the first losing season under head coach John Harbaugh, the Baltimore Ravens are off to a 2-0 start thanks to narrow wins over the winless Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns.
This week, the club faces yet another team that hasn’t won a game in the supposedly-improved Jacksonville Jaguars. Dating back to 2011, the club owns an NFL-worst 19-63 record and has now dropped its last five contests dating back to last season.
So why is this contest between the undefeated and the winless a Pick’ Em? Chalk it up to the unpredictability of the Ravens on the road, as well as the up-and-down nature of quarterback Joe Flacco.
Let’s go back five-plus years to the start of the 2011 season. Including the playoffs, Baltimore is a strong 32-11 at home, but only 20-26 on the road (as well as 1-0 in a neutral site, that being the team’s 34-31 win in Super Bowl XLVII over the San Francisco 49ers at the Superdome).
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What about Flacco? Remember that magical 2012 season when he and his team walked away with a Lombardi Trophy? That year, including four postseason contests, the strong-armed signal-caller threw for 33 scores and was picked off only 10 times.
But what a change since. Since 2013 and including the team’s two-game playoff run in ’14, Flacco has thrown an impressive 69 touchdown passes but has also served up a disturbing 50 interceptions.
Odds
Line: Even
Over/Under: 47.5
While the Jaguars have been a disappointment to date, the Ravens’ caliber of competition has many not quite sure of just how good this team is. That’s fair, especially when you consider that Harbaugh and company fell behind at Cleveland last week, 20-0, before rallying for 25 unanswered points. And Baltimore failed to cover as a 5.5-point favorite last Sunday.
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Don’t be surprised when the Ravens’ road woes continue at Jacksonville on Sunday. Flacco and his mates are running into a club desperate for a victory and one that is playing at home. This remains a Jaguars’ club with a lot of young talent and don’t be surprised if this is the week it all comes together.