Monday Night Football. Baltimore at Detroit. Betting info.

[TheGame]

NFL
Long Sheet

Week 15

Monday, December 16

BALTIMORE (7 - 6) at DETROIT (7 - 6) - 12/16/2013, 8:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BALTIMORE is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 23-42 ATS (-23.2 Units) as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points since 1992.
DETROIT is 2-12 ATS (-11.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

[TheGame]

Week 15

Trend Report

Monday, December 16

8:40 PM
BALTIMORE vs. DETROIT
Baltimore is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Detroit
Baltimore is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games when playing Baltimore
Detroit is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Baltimore

[TheGame]

NFL

Week 15

Ravens (7-6) @ Lions (7-6)—Detroit continuously shoots itself in foot, turning ball over 20 times in last six games (-15); they’ve lost three of last four games, are big disappointment considering they’re only NFC North team whose QB stayed upright all year. Lions are 3-3 as home favorites, winning at home by 10-8-1-30 points, with big win vs Rodgers-less Packers. Ravens won last three games to stay in contention, surviving bizarre game last week where lead changed hands five times in last 2:05. Baltimore is 1-5 on road, with four of six games decided by exactly three points; they’re 3-2-1 as underdogs this year- this is only second time they’ve been a dog in their last seven games. Lions lost in blizzard last week despite having KR/PRs for TDs; they were outgained 478-228. Home side won all three Raven-Lion games, with Baltimore crushing Detroit 48-3 in last meeting four years ago. AFC North non-divisional underdogs are 8-5-2 vs spread, 5-3-2 on road; NFC North favorites are 5-11-2 vs spread, 3-7-2 at home. Six of last eight Detroit games, three of last four Raven games went over the total. Both teams will be glad for dome setting after playing in snow last week.

[TheGame]

Ravens, Lions clash on MNF
By Sportsbook.ag

Baltimore Ravens (7-6) at Detroit Lions(7-6)

Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Detroit -5.5, Total: 48

After wrapping up a three-game homestand, the Ravens hit the road on Monday night to take on the Lions in a game with major playoff implications for both teams.

Baltimore won its third straight game last week with a comeback 29-26 victory over the Vikings at home, but it has been a horrible road team at 1-5 SU (2-4 ATS) this year. Detroit played a blizzard game in Philadelphia and lost to the Eagles 34-20, but is happy to return home where it is 4-2 SU (3-3 ATS) with 31.7 PPG and 477 total YPG.

These teams have met at Ford Field just once since 1992, and that ended up in a 35-17 win-and-cover for the Lions.

The Lions are 25-6 ATS (81%) after gaining four or less yards per play in their previous game since 1992, while the Ravens are 42-23 ATS (65%) after playing a game where 50 total points or more were scored since 1992.

Although Baltimore has a strong defense, this could be a high-scoring game as the Lions are 7-0 Over in non-conference tilts over the past two seasons.

RB Reggie Bush (calf), who reinjured his calf in pregame warm-ups last week and did not play, is listed as questionable for Sunday, while LB Elvis Dumervil (ankle) is questionable for the Ravens.

The Ravens have gotten hot at just at the right time as they make a push for a playoff spot in the AFC. QB Joe Flacco (3,238 pass yards, 6.6 YPA, 18 TD, 17 INT) has thrown for 240 or more yards in each of the past three games and has five touchdowns and four interceptions in that time, tossing three picks in last week's game before throwing the game-winning TD pass to Marlon Brown with nine seconds remaining, marking the game's fifth touchdown in the final 2:05. That capped off a monster performance for Brown who had seven receptions for 92 yards.

RB Ray Rice also totaled 109 yards in the game despite rushing for just 67 on 3.9 YPC, marking the 11th time in 12 games that he has failed to average 4.0 yards per carry in a game this year. His 3.0 YPC average this year is far below his career mark of 4.3 YPC. T

E Dennis Pitta made a big splash in his season debut with 48 yards and a touchdown on six catches, and his athleticism adds a different dimension to this offense.

But top WR Torrey Smith had one of his worst games of the year versus Minnesota, as he was held to just one reception for 11 yards. The Ravens will need him to be much more effective against Detroit.

Baltimore's defense has given up just 49 points total over the past three weeks and ranks 8th in the NFL with 20.1 PPG allowed. Its rush defense continues to be dominant, allowing just 101.2 rushing YPG (7th in NFL) on 3.8 yards per carry (5th in league).

The Lions were poised to have a fairly simple road to the playoffs but they have lost three of their past four games in a very crucial period. The Lions are great at defending the run, allowing just 99.3 yards per game on the ground (6th in NFL), but are a miserable pass defense, allowing 255.9 YPG through the air (25th in NFL).

QB Matt Stafford has had an up-and-down season with 27 TD, but 18 turnovers (14 INT, 4 lost fumbles), but ranks fourth in the NFL in passing yards (3,976). He struggled throwing in the snow against the Eagles last game, going just 10-of-25 for 151 yards and no touchdowns.

WR Calvin Johnson has been one of the league’s best players yet again this season. Despite dealing with nagging injuries all year, he still has 75 receptions for 1,351 yards (2nd in NFL) and 12 receiving touchdowns (2nd in NFL).

This matchup with the Ravens could make or break Detroit's season and it will need to be clicking on all cylinders.

[TheGame]

MNF - Ravens at Lions
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com

Both the Lions and Ravens are desperate squads that need wins down the stretch to make the playoffs. These two clubs hook up at Ford Field to close out Week 15 of the regular season, as Baltimore finishes the campaign against three winning squads, including matchups with New England and Cincinnati the next two weeks. However, the Ravens look for their second consecutive interconference victory after an amazing finish last week.

Baltimore outlasted Minnesota last Sunday in a blizzard, 29-26 to close out a perfect 3-0 homestand. The Ravens failed to cash as six-point favorites, as the two teams combined for 42 points in the final quarter after Baltimore led just 7-6 after three quarters. In fact, the Ravens and Vikings exchanged five touchdowns in the last two minutes of regulation, as Joe Flacco's nine-yard touchdown pass to Marlon Brown with four seconds left proved to be the difference. The total closed at 41½, as 'under' bettors suffered probably their worst loss of the season with the explosive fourth quarter.

The Lions also played in a snowstorm last week, but dropped a 34-20 decision at Philadelphia as 2½-point underdogs. Detroit grabbed an 8-0 advantage at halftime, while taking a 14-0 edge following a punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter. However, the Eagles took over from there by outscoring the Lions, 34-6, which included a pair of long touchdown runs by LeSean McCoy. The former University of Pittsburgh standout rushed for a career-best 217 yards, while the Eagles' defense held Lions' quarterback Matthew Stafford to just 10 completions.

The Ravens have struggled away from M&T Bank Stadium this season, posting a 1-5 record with a trip to Cincinnati in Week 17. John Harbaugh's club owns a 2-2 ATS mark in the road underdog role, while scoring 20 points or less in each of their last three away contests (all losses). Baltimore has lost three times on the highway by three points or less, including walk-off defeats at Pittsburgh and Chicago.

Detroit has compiled a 4-2 SU and 3-3 ATS record at Ford Field, while going 'over' the total five times. In the only other home game against an AFC foe, the Lions fell to the Bengals in Week 7 at the gun in a 27-24 defeat as 2 ½-point favorites. Since Jim Schwartz arrived as the head coach in 2009, the Lions are 3-6 SU and 5-3-1 ATS at home against AFC competition, while dropping five of their past seven interconference games overall.

The Lions and Ravens last met on December 13, 2009 at M&T Bank Stadium as Baltimore crushed Detroit, 48-3. The Ravens easily cashed as 14-point 'chalk,' as Baltimore rushed for five touchdowns, including a pair from Willis McGahee. That Detroit squad finished 2-14 in 2009, while Daunte Culpepper started that game and threw two interceptions in the blowout loss.

The favorites have dominated on Monday night recently, winning and covering each of the last four weeks. The past three Monday contests have been decided by double-digits, while last week's shootout between the Bears and Cowboys snapped a three-game 'under' stretch on Mondays. The Lions are playing under the Monday night lights for just the third time since 2008, while the last home Monday contest for Detroit resulted in a 24-13 triumph over Chicago in 2011.

Following Miami's home victory over New England on Sunday, the Dolphins now hold a one-half game edge over the Ravens for the sixth and final playoff spot in the AFC. The Ravens own the head-to-head tiebreaker against Miami, while the Chargers are hanging around at 7-7 after their upset of Denver on Thursday. However, Baltimore has the upper-hand over San Diego from a conference record standpoint, as the Ravens are 6-4 inside the AFC while the Chargers are just 4-6.

The only chance for the Lions to make the playoffs is to win the NFC North, as Detroit heads into Monday trailing Chicago by one-half game after the Bears held off the Browns on the road. If the Lions and Bears finish the season tied, Detroit will grab the division title since it swept Chicago.

The Lions are listed as 6½-point home favorites on Monday, while the total is set at 50. The game kicks off at 8:30 PM EST from Ford Field and can be seen nationally on ESPN.

[TheGame]

Monday Night Football Betting: Ravens at Lions
By Covers.com

Baltimore Ravens at Detroit Lions (-6.5, 50)

Two teams clawing to stay in their respective playoff races square off Monday night when the Detroit Lions host the Baltimore Ravens. Both are bordering on must-win situations, as the Lions enter the weekend tied with Chicago atop the NFC North and the Ravens are tied with Miami for the last AFC wild card. "Our playoffs start this week," Detroit running back Reggie Bush told the team's website. "It doesn't start in three weeks. It starts right now."

The Lions do have some wiggle room by virtue of two head-to-head wins over the Bears, but their margin for error became slimmer when they lost 34-20 in blizzard-like conditions in Philadelphia last week. Bush sat out that game after aggravating a calf injury during warmups - a huge blow on a day when passing was nearly impossible - but is expected to be back on the field against Baltimore. The Ravens won a wild one a week ago, topping Minnesota 29-26 in a game that saw six lead changes in the fourth quarter.

LINE: Detroit opened -6 and is now -6.5. The total opened 47.5 and is up to 50.

ABOUT THE RAVENS (7-6): Baltimore hasn't been able to do much on offense all year and has been especially ineffective in the running game, long a staple of its success. Receiver Torrey Smith, who needs 37 receiving yards to reach 1,000 for the first time in his career, is a legitimate deep threat, though, and the Lions have given up a lot of big plays. The Ravens' defense isn't at the elite level as in years past but is still strong against the run, though the secondary could have trouble with Detroit star Calvin Johnson.

ABOUT THE LIONS (7-6): The offense sputtered in the snow in Philadelphia, as two of the Lions' three touchdowns came on special teams and Detroit committed three turnovers, bringing its total to 15 over the past four games. Detroit leans heavily on its passing game, and quarterback Matthew Stafford needs just 27 passing yards for his third consecutive 4,000-yard season. The defense has been solid against the run, last week notwithstanding, but is susceptible to the pass.

TRENDS:

* Home team is 4-0 ATS in their last four meetings.
* Ravens are 1-8 ATS in their last nine games in December.
* Under is 6-0 in Lions last six Monday games.
* Lions are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games overall.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Flacco needs 262 passing yards to become the first Ravens quarterback with five consecutive seasons of 3,500 yards.

2. Johnson needs seven yards to become the first player in NFL history with 5,000 receiving yards in a three-year span.

3. Ravens K Justin Tucker has made 27 consecutive field goals, the longest active streak in the NFL.