The final week of the NFL 2024 regular season begins with a double header of action on Saturday night and we begin in the AFC North where the Baltimore Ravens will be looking to clinch the division title when they host the Cleveland Browns.
The equation for this one is pretty simple. If the Ravens win they will take the division and ensure that they are at home in the playoffs next week. Were they to lose then the door would be open for Pittsburgh later in the night.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens struggled for some consistency in the opening half of the campaign with their defence really holding them back, however the longer the season has gone on that side of the ball has come back to something like we expect from them and as a result Baltimore have put six wins from their last eight together and they are now in complete control of their destiny going into the final week of the season. They will be looking to get well ahead early so that they can ease off and save themselves for next week.
Baltimore Ravens were probably always going to come on strong the longer the season went on because their powerful run game would be going up against banged up and tired defences and that is exactly how it has proved. It hasn’t just been about the form of Derrick Henry though, Lamar Jackson could well be named the MVP in a few weeks and with those two performing well and the defence beginning to shut teams down and make plays, it makes the Ravens a tough team to crack.
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Cleveland Browns
I would imagine many of those involved with the Cleveland Browns will be delighted that their season comes to an end here because it has been a long year of underachievement for the Ohio based outfit. They would have gone into the campaign with their sights set on the playoffs at the very least but at no stage have they looked like they would be in a position to extend their season and plenty of work needs doing before they go again in September.
It could be that if they lose this and results go their way elsewhere this weekend that the Browns could have the number one draft pick ahead of next term which is the complete opposite of where they would have wanted to be but a 3-13 record tells the tale of a sorry campaign. That record includes five straight defeats and the biggest damning statistic is that in the last three matches their offense has put up just 16 points in total. They are slumping badly.
Betting
These matches where there is a good chance there will only be a competitive edge to it in the first half are always tricky to bet on in case Cleveland Browns can keep the Baltimore Ravens honest for longer than that. I don’t see that being the case though. I expect the Ravens to power clear early on and then there would be no point in them keeping the starters on the field so the majority of the second half could be a real damp squib and could level out quite quickly.
Even if it doesn’t and the Ravens for some reason keep their starters on the field for longer, there is no guarantee that the Browns will contribute much to the scoring when you consider that they have put up totals of seven, six and three in their last three outings. To be fair, in those three games they have faced Kansas City, Cincinnati and Miami and kept three solid offenses to 24 points or less. That all makes me think that a point line of 42.5 looks a smidgeon on the high side here.
Tips
Back Under 42.5 points for a 3/10 stake at 1.80 with Boylesports
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