Why This Monday Night Football Could Rewrite the Rules of the Game Forever

Every so often a game pops up that makes you question whether you actually signed up for this rollercoaster of emotions we call football fandom. Monday Night Football’s spotlight turns to the Lions visiting the Ravens at 8:15 ET — a matchup packed with intrigue and a few “uh-oh” moments for both squads. The Lions roared loudly against the Bears but stumbled against the Packers, while the Ravens, despite an opening loss that probably haunted their dreams, have hit the scoreboard like a well-tuned machine since. Here’s a thought: can Detroit’s ground-and-pound style crack a Baltimore defense missing key disruptors? Or will Lamar Jackson and Derek Henry continue turning the Ravens into a scoring juggernaut? I’m leaning toward this one blowing over the top, but hey, isn’t that the beauty of these nail-biters? Stick around as we break down the chaos and flags—and maybe squeeze a win out of this wild night. LEARN MORE.

Lions vs. Ravens, 8:15 ET

There are some games that drive you absolutely bonkers. I went 2-1 in the three written plays that I shared with the Outkick readers, but one of them should not have been even remotely close to a sweat. Instead, I was nervously watching the Buccaneers blow a big lead before they had Baker Mayfield bail them out again. I suppose I shouldn’t complain about getting two wins on the weekend, and I am now 6-0 in weekend plays for Outkick. I’m looking for a winning week as we take on the Monday Night Football game between the Lions and Ravens.

The Lions are 1-1 entering today’s game and have a very tough one as they have to travel to Baltimore to face the Ravens. In their first game of the season, also a road game, the Lions looked anything but ferocious as they took on the Packers. In that first game, Green Bay ended up looking dominant and holding the Lions to just 13 points. In another divisional battle last week against the Bears, the Lions looked like the best offensive team in the league. They posted 52 points on the Bears while holding Chicago to just 21 points for the game. In terms of defense, I think the Ravens are probably closer to the Packers’ defense than the Bears, which means the Lions probably have a tougher offensive battle than they did last week. I think the Lions are still the best team in the division, but I’m not overly confident in them here. Their defense has looked pretty good so far, but it seems like they are just barely keeping their team in games. They have a few guys on the injured report that are a bit concerning to me, but they should be available. The Ravens are solid against the run, but part of that might be because teams have had to pass against them. The Lions like to pound the ground and let Jahmyr Gibbs find holes and be explosive.

The Ravens are also 1-1, but you could make a good argument that they are still one of the best teams in football despite the first loss. Their loss came at the hands of the Bills on the first night of the season. They blew a lead and let Josh Allen mount a comeback that probably kept the entire team awake at night. They came home last week and took out their anger and frustration on the Browns. They have scored 40 or more points in both of their games, showing that their offense has been a well-oiled machine. Lamar Jackson looks like he will be once again in the MVP consideration, and Derek Henry continues to truck guys. The Lions have also shown they are good against the run, but the problem is that they have had one game where the opponent looked to run and the other where the opponent essentially had to abandon it. The Ravens should be able to get a lot of what they want on the ground, but I wouldn’t say they get everything. The bigger issue for me is that the Ravens are going to be missing some key pieces on defense. The sack leader for the Ravens, Nnamdi Madubuike will be out. They are also going to be without Kyle Van Noy.

It is never a good sign for a team when key pieces are missing from its defense. The Lions really can’t afford to lose this game, considering the Packers gave one away yesterday. I really don’t think the Lions win this game, though. The bigger question is whether the Lions can keep it close, and I do think they can, but I’m not risking my money on it. Instead, I’m going to back the over. I don’t love the high totals, but the Ravens offense has looked elite, and the Lions should be able to operate with the injuries to Baltimore’s defense, and their defense just hasn’t looked great. Back the over.

For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024