Roll with these three road teams in Week 5. You can bet on all NFL games with SugarHouse online sportsbook if you are in the state of New Jersey.
Baltimore Ravens (-3) at Cleveland Browns
A rejuvenated Ravens squad looks like a great bet against the moribund Browns on Sunday.
Joe Flacco has found six different receivers for double-digit reception totals this season while completing 64 percent of his passes. He’s thrown for eight TDs compared to just two INTs through four weeks. Flacco’s assignment got a bit easier when it was revealed that Cleveland cornerback Terrance Mitchell was placed on the injured reserve with a fractured forearm. Gregg Williams’ squad was already struggling even with Mitchell, as they’re ranked 25th by YPG.
Baker Mayfield committed four turnovers in his first career start in Oakland last week. Baltimore’s defense, fourth in points allowed, first in yards per play allowed and tied for fourth in INTs (4), should give Mayfield fits. Regaining cornerback Jimmy Smith after a four-game suspension will only help.
Expect the Ravens to make it six straight covers over their division rival.
The pick: Ravens -3
Oakland Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers (-5.5)
The Raiders eked out their first win of the season over the Browns last week, while the Chargers barely scraped by the Garropolo-less 49ers.
L.A.’s win but failure to cover has been a growing trend for them at home, as they’re 5-10 ATS in their last 15 home games. Oakland has a strong contingent of fans that will likely make the trip to the Stubhub Center, which featured a sea of red jerseys thanks to all the San Francisco fans that showed up last Sunday.
Philip Rivers and the ninth-ranked Chargers scoring offense will put up solid numbers against a porous Raider defense (31st in PPG allowed), but Derek Carr can keep pace; his passing attack is fourth-best in the NFL. Marshawn Lynch should be able to establish the ground game against an L.A. defense that has sorely missed Joey Bosa.
Oakland may not win this one but they should at least keep it close.
The pick: Raiders +5.5
Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers (-4.5)
The Cardinals are the only team that has yet to win a game this season, but they’re getting better by the week, as they’ve covered in two straight contests.
Arizona opponents are beginning to respect the passing game thanks to Josh Rosen, who replaced Sam Bradford at the end of Week 3. David Johnson has yet to post a 100-yard game this season, in part because the competition has been able to ‘cheat up’ on the run. Expect him to get things going against a soft San Francisco defense that’s 26th in PPG allowed.
The 49ers’ offensive players are dropping like flies. Not only has Jimmy Garropolo been lost for the season, but linemen Joe Staley and Weston Richburg may not be able to suit up. Running back Matt Breida has been nursing a shoulder injury, and wideouts Marquis Goodwin and Dante Pettis are considered questionable with lower-body injuries.
San Francisco has incinerated money at home of late, dropping their last nine ATS as home favorites (per oddsshark.com), so take the points the Cardinals.
The pick: Cardinals +4.5
