Ravens open as heavy favorites over Texans for NFL Week 2 odds

After beating up on the Browns in Week 1, at least one oddsmaker is giving the Baltimore Ravens odds to do it in Week 2 to the Texans

The Baltimore Ravens are looking to stay perfect as they head to Houston to take on the Texans for Week 2. The Ravens are fresh off decimating the Cleveland Browns in Week 1 while the Texans are still licking their wounds from a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Though the Texans are no slouch, having gone deep in the playoffs last season, the Ravens are heavy favorites opening this week. According to BetMGM, Baltimore is a 7-point favorite for Week 2.

That isn’t the biggest spread of the week thus far but it’s a pretty impressive one for a few reasons. The game is in Houston, and while fans won’t be in attendance, the home team typically gets a little boost to the point spread to compensate for it. Secondly, the Texans are a strong team that went toe-to-toe with the Chiefs for most of their Week 1 contest. Considering the Ravens were 7.5-point favorites over the Browns and ended up beating them 38-6, that’s quite a lot of confidence to place in Baltimore this week.

Then again, there’s also some solid reasons for BetMGM having that level of confidence.

The Ravens looked like the same regular-season team that was so dominant last season. They played hard-hitting defense and while the run game didn’t gash Cleveland, it did a fair job of picking up yards and first downs when needed. Quarterback Lamar Jackson is already making a serious run at winning back-to-back MVP awards, posting the highest passer rating of Week 1.

Baltimore also blew Houston out of the water in their matchup last season. In Week 11, the Ravens beat the Texans 41-7 in a game that was effectively over by halftime. Baltimore turned on the jets in the second half and gained a massive lead over Houston, benching Jackson at about the midpoint of the fourth quarter to coast the rest of the way with backup Robert Griffin III.

That makes this a tough Ravens bet to call. With such a massive spread, the odds aren’t exactly on Baltimore’s side here. But with how dominant they were in Week 1 and how they beat up on Houston last season, there’s little reason to believe this won’t be another slaughter.

If you really believe in the Ravens, or just really don’t believe in the Texans, a $100 bet would return $91. Make sure you get over to BetMGM to lock in the spread now before it potentially changes later this week and the Ravens’ odds get worse.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Lamar Jackson, Matthew Judon win Ravens Players of the Week vs. Texans

The Baltimore Ravens make it six straight with a 41-7 win over the Houston Texans.

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The Baltimore Ravens made it six straight wins with a 41-7 victory over the Houston Texans in Week 11. They rise to 8-2 and gain a little breathing room for the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoff race. When a team performs the way the Ravens have, you’ve got to hand out accolades. While we should only hand out one game ball each week, we’re getting a little tired of it going to the same guy each time.

So once again, the award goes to quarterback Lamar Jackson. But we’re tossing an extra one to outside linebacker Matthew Judon as well.

It’s probably getting a little repetitive, but Jackson continues to play at an incredibly high level week after week, with no signs of letting up. Jackson went 17-of-24 for 222 yards and four touchdown throws, making him the first quarterback in franchise history to have multiple games with four or more passing touchdowns in a single season. Jackson also impressed with a 39-yard run that for a moment looked like a repeat of his 47-yard touchdown run against the Bengals in Week 10.

Judon also deserves special recognition after finding a new gear this week in a tough matchup. He terrorized Deshaun Watson and the Texans offense with seven tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss, and four quarterback hits.

On a defense that had a good game in its own right, keeping the Texans scoreless until the fourth quarter, Judon led the effort and never let Watson have any peace when he dropped back. It led to Houston having their worst offensive output of the season (232 total net yards — 31 fewer than their previous worst game) and the fourth-worst passer rating of Watson’s career (63.7).

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3 takeaways from Ravens’ Week 11 win over Texans

Are the Ravens the best team in the NFL? They certainly make a compelling argument.

The Baltimore Ravens continue to make arguments week after week as a powerhouse in the league and potential Super Bowl contender. The Houston Texans were no match for the home team as Baltimore took the lead early in the second quarter and never looked back.

Let’s look at three takeaways from the Ravens’ Week 11 win over the Texans.

1) The Ravens defense can stop anyone

In what was expected to be the rebuilt defense’s toughest challenge yet, this one wasn’t really even a contest. The Ravens set the tone early with a strip-sack of Deshaun Watson on the Texans’ first drive and, aside from some DeAndre Hopkins chain-movers early on, this game was a disaster for Houston’s offense.

The strength of Baltimore’s defense begins with its elite secondary. The Ravens were able to notch seven sacks on the day because of the outstanding play of its shutdown corners (the trio of Jimmy Smith, Marlon Humphrey, and Marcus Peters), forcing Watson to hold the ball far too long.

Aside from the outstanding play from the unit as a whole, the credit has to go to GM Eric DeCosta, whose midseason adjustments have turned this defense completely around. Paired with the way the league’s No. 1 offense is playing, the Ravens look virtually unstoppable.

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Ravens demolish Texans 41-7: Instant analysis

The Baltimore Ravens absolutely demolished yet another playoff contender, taking down the Houston Texans by a final score of 41-7.

The Baltimore Ravens demolished yet another playoff contender, taking down the Houston Texans 41-7 in Week 11.

Though the Ravens and Texans got off to a slow start, Baltimore heated up quickly and put Houston in their rearview mirror before halftime. With Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and the offense applying pressure on the scoreboard, the defense applied pressure to Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, forcing bad throws and mistakes.

Take a look down below at my instant analysis of each scoring drive to see how the game flowed through four quarters.

First quarter:

Second quarter:

Ravens 7 – Texans 0

Drive analysis: We finally got a typical Ravens drive after a first quarter full of mistakes. Baltimore got tight ends Hayden Hurst and Nick Boyle, as well as fullback Patrick Ricard involved in the passing attack. Jackson adds 12 yards on the ground before wide receiver Seth Roberts highpoints a pass in the middle of the end zone for a touchdown.

Ravens 14 – Texans 0

Drive analysis: The Ravens are in a rhythm now. This drive got started with a 17-yard pass to Marquise Brown before Jackson picked up another first down with a 12-yard run. Running back Gus Edwards added a big run, finding a crease on the left side and outracing defenders for 26 yards into the red zone. A perfectly-placed 18-yard touchdown throw to tight end Mark Andrews add to the lead.

Third quarter:

Ravens 21 – Texans 0

Drive analysis: Getting the ball to open the second half, Baltimore marched down the field. A huge pass interference call on a deep throw to Brown got a big chunk of yards. Willie Snead got a high pass for a big first down before Ingram gets a short dump-off pass he took 25 yards untouched for a touchdown.

Ravens 24 – Texans 0

Drive analysis: Another game and another highlight-reel worthy run by Jackson. He showed power and agility, breaking away from and juking out defenders on a 39-yard scamper. Jackson was contained far better in the red zone, forcing a 34-yard field goal.

Ravens 27 – Texans 0

Drive analysis: Pressure got to Watson, forcing him to scramble and throw across his body. Right into a pile of Ravens players with linebacker Josh Bynes coming down with it. The offense is now playing conservatively, letting Tucker kick a 46-yard field goal to extend their lead and chew up clock.

Fourth quarter:

Ravens 34 – Texans 0

Drive analysis: Baltimore’s defense got the job done, stopping Houston on fourth down to get the ball back and keep the shutout going. The offense was content grinding down the clock until Andrews took a pass over the middle 51 yards into the Texans’ red zone. Two plays later and Jackson found Ingram on a 12-yard touchdown pass.

Ravens 34 – Texans 7

Drive analysis: With the game over and the Ravens sitting on the deep pass, running back Carlos Hyde broke open up the middle and raced defenders into the end zone on a 41-yard run.

Ravens 41 – Texans 7

Drive analysis: The Ravens are just trying to milk the clock and end this game with Robert Griffin III in now. But Edwards apparently wanted to get in on the fun as well, breaking off a 63-yard touchdown run. He made a great jump cut on the left side and it turned into a track meet as Edwards glided down the field untouched.

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Fantasy football: Week 11 sits/starts for the Ravens

A look at what Ravens players to start, and which to sit, for Week 11 against the Houston Texans.

Sunday sees a clash between two division leaders as the Baltimore Ravens lock horns with the Houston Texans at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens have won their last five games at sit atop the AFC North with a 7-2 record. The Texans are on a two-game winning streak and are fresh from a bye following their rout of the Jacksonville Jaguars in London two weeks ago.

Here, I’ll offer my thoughts on players to start and players to sit this week. As ever, Lamar Jackson is playing, so if you’ve got him you’re starting him.

SIT – RB, Mark Ingram

Running backs have not enjoyed a great deal of success against the Texans in 2019. A tailback hasn’t scored more than 12.4 PPR points against them since Week 5. They’ve allowed only two running back rushing scores as well.

Ingram continues to operate as the lead back for Baltimore. But it would be inaccurate to describe him as a workhorse. He has gone four games since his last 20 opportunity game (carries + targets), and he’s been held below 50 rushing yards in four of his last five outings. He remains largely dependent on touchdowns with regards to his fantasy output and has finished higher than RB31 just once in games in which he didn’t find the endzone.

The Texans have been slightly more welcoming to running backs in the passing game, with seven running backs catching at least five passes against them this year. However, Ingram has commanded more than two targets in a game only three times this season and has exceeded 22 receiving yards just once since Week 3.

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Ravens vs. Texans Week 11: Time, TV channel and how to stream online

The Baltimore Ravens host the Houston Texans in Week 11. Here’s the NFL stream information, TV channel and more so you can watch live.

The Baltimore Ravens are in a prime position just after the midway mark in the 2019 season. They sit at 7-2, in first place in the AFC North standings and in the second seed in the AFC playoff picture. Things seem to be coming together perfectly for this team after a rocky start but they’ll have to continue answering questions about just how good they are.

In Week 11, Baltimore will get another tough test in quarterback Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans. In a game that features two of the best offenses in the league and two of the best young quarterbacks, it’s the matchup of the week.

If you’re interested in watching the game live, check out the information below, including the television channel, NFL stream link and more.

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Game information:

Houston Texans (6-3) at Baltimore Ravens (7-2)

Sunday, Nov. 17, 1:00 p.m. ET

M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD

Streaming:

Live stream: fuboTV (try it free)

Television channels:

CBS – WJZ Ch. 13 (Baltimore)

Broadcast map

TV broadcasters:

Ian Eagle (Play-by-play)
Dan Fouts (analyst)
Evan Washburn (field)

Radio:

WBAL (1090 AM/101.5 FM)
98 Rock (97.9 FM)

Radio broadcasters:

Gerry Sandusky (play-by-play)
Jarret Johnson (analyst)
Kirk McEwen (field)

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Lamar Jackson vs. Deshaun Watson 2.0 could be another fireworks show

As Lamar Jackson and Deshaun Watson square off for the second time, history points to a shootout for the Ravens and Texans in Week 11.

The last time Lamar Jackson and Deshaun Watson were on a field together was a little more than three years ago, though they were wearing different jerseys. Jackson and Watson were trading figurative blows as Louisville and Clemson fought for supremacy through a shootout and four lead changes.

Jackson and Watson combined to run for nearly a quarter of the combined total yards in that game, putting up 253 rushing yards and two of the four rushing touchdowns scored. In one of the most exciting college games in recent history, they threw for a combined 601 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions en route to a 42-36 Clemson win.

Fast forward to 2019, and both Jackson and Watson are two of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL. Jackson is in his first full season as the starter, leading the Baltimore Ravens to a 7-2 record and talk of an MVP award. Watson is in his third season with the Houston Texans and has them at 6-3 in the thick of the playoff hunt.

With the Texans and Ravens meeting on the field in Week 11, we could be in for a replay of that wild 2016 game.

Much like that Clemson-Louisville game from three years ago, Watson and Jackson have been huge parts of their respective offenses. Jackson leads the Ravens on the ground, accounting for just under 40% of the team’s total rushing yards. He’s been efficient as a passer, completing 65.9% of his passes with a 3-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Watson accounts for just under 22% of Houston’s rushing yards but has completed 70.2% of his passes while throwing 18 touchdown passes to just five interceptions.

Combined, Jackson and Watson total 5,449 total yards (rushing and passing), 33 passing touchdowns and 11 rushing touchdowns while leading the first- and eighth-ranked scoring offenses in the NFL.

But the opposite side of the ball has been less spectacular. The defenses for both Houston and Baltimore have been suspect at times this season. Though both units have gotten the job done well enough to have them in the playoff race, neither defense is on par with what we’ve come to expect from these franchises.

They rank near the middle of the league (15th for the Ravens and 19th for the Texans) and have had some terrible outings this year. Baltimore has allowed 500-plus yards while giving up 30-plus points twice this season. Houston has given up 500-plus yards once and has allowed 30-plus points three times.

Both Jackson and Watson have unique abilities to avoid a pass rush, often making defenses look foolish for trying to pressure them. But with J.J. Watt on injured reserve for Houston and Baltimore not having a star pass rusher of its own, neither Jackson nor Watson should have very much trouble this week. That should free up both offenses to throw from the pocket and use their mobile quarterbacks as weapons on the ground.

Combine these suspect defenses with the multitalented quarterbacks and it seems like a recipe for fireworks reminiscent of that Clemson-Louisville game.

Ravens vs. Texans over/under is a good bet for Week 11

If you’re looking to bet on the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans over/under might be your best option.

The Baltimore Ravens play host to the Houston Texans in Week 11, and there are some fireworks expected at M&T Bank Stadium. Oddsmakers are predicting a bit of a shootout . . . at least if you look at the expected points for this one.

The over/under is set at 49.5 points, according to BetMGM. That’s tied for the third-highest over/under of Week 11.

Though that’s quite a lot of points, there’s plenty of reason to take the over here. The Ravens have had five games go over that this season alone, including the last two weeks. The Texans have also had five games go over 49.5 total points, including four of their last five.

Both Houston and Baltimore have been impressive offensively this season. The Ravens hold the NFL’s top-scoring offense, averaging 33.3 points per game, while the Texans are ranked eighth with an average of 26.4 points per game. Meanwhile, both defenses have been just mediocre this season, ranking near the middle of the league in points and yards allowed.

While there are no guaranteed predictions in the world of sports, all the checkboxes are ticked for a high-scoring contest in Week 11 between Houston and Baltimore. If you’re looking to bet on some NFL action this week, this might be the surest thing.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.