SNF betting preview: Get your popcorn ready for Ravens-Bills
Week 1's marquee matchup between the Bills and Ravens will be played under the lights at Orchard Park in what could be a preview of the AFC Championship Game.
This primetime showdown between two Super Bowl favorites has two key ingredients for a classic: The last two MVP winners, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, and a budding rivalry. The last time these two teams met was in the divisional round, when Mark Andrews dropped a potential game-tying two-point conversion to send the Bills to the AFC championship.
Let's hope it can live up to the hype and provide us with the perfect nightcap to the season's opening slate.
π Check out all of the Bills-Ravens markets on ESPN BET and theScore Bet here
π Pick: Bills +1.5
These two teams are evenly matched in futures markets. They're co-favorites to win the Super Bowl on ESPN BET and theScore Bet at +650 and have the same odds to represent the AFC in the championship at +325.
However, this spread, which originally opened as the Bills being 1.5-point favorites, suggests the Ravens would be roughly a field-goal favorite on a neutral field and approximately 5-point favorites at home. Both of those spreads feel too big, making the Bills the valuable side.
Jackson owns a 2-1 record against the Allen in the regular season but is 0-2 in the playoffs and 1-2 in Buffalo. This game should have a playoff atmosphere in prime time, and Bills fans will be geared up and ready to do whatever they can to make Jackson's night more difficult.
There's a good chance these two sides meet again in January, and perhaps the Ravens can take the rematch. But for now, we'll side with the home team in a game that could come down to the last possession.
π Derrick Henry over 16.5 rushing attempts
The Ravens will want to keep the ball out of Allen's hands, and the best way to do that is to pound the rock with Derrick Henry. He surpassed 16.5 carries in 11 of 19 games last season, one of which was against the Bills when he went off for 199 yards on 24 carries. Expect a heavy dosage of Henry early in an attempt to slow the game down and tone down the rowdy Buffalo crowd.
π Lamar Jackson over 44.5 rushing yards
Jackson rushed for 45 or more yards in 13 of 19 games last year, including his lone regular-season meeting with the Bills. The same concept for Henry's usage applies to Jackson: If the Ravens limit the amount of time Allen spends on the field, they'll win the game. But even if Baltimore doesn't come out on top, two or three runs from Jackson could be enough to hit the over.
NFL news editor Brenden Deeg will provide touchdown scorer props all season long.
π Khalil Shakir +225
Shakir suffered an ankle injury this summer but is back fully practicing and will be good to go Sunday. The 25-year-old led the Bills in targets (100), receptions (76), and receiving yards (821) in 2024 and is facing a Ravens secondary that allowed the fourth-most yards to opposing wideouts last year. Keon Coleman is dealing with a groin ailment leading up to Sunday Night Football, so it's tough to trust any Buffalo receiver outside of Shakir to score in this contest.
π Rashod Bateman +250
Bateman signed a new three-year extension this offseason and will be one of Lamar's go-to targets in 2025. The former first-round pick scored six touchdowns in his final six contests last year, and he's facing a defense that surrendered the second-most red-zone targets to wide receivers in 2024. His odds provide the best value for a Ravens wide receiver in this showdown.
π Justice Hill +550
Our long shot of the night goes to Justice Hill, who's projected to be the Ravens' third-down back this season. He saw over 40% of the offensive snaps in 2024 and was a key contributor to their passing attack. Hill scored a receiving touchdown against Buffalo in their last matchup, and the Bills are coming off a campaign where they allowed the most targets to opposing running backs.
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