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NFL
Monday, December 7
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What bettors need to know: Ravens at Packers
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Baltimore Ravens at Green Bay Packers (-3.5, 43)
Two teams in the hunt for Wild Card spots clash Monday at Lambeau Field.
Green Bay (7-4 straight up, 6-4-1 ATS) has won three straight, but hasn’t played since pounding the Lions on Thanksgiving. Baltimore (6-5 SU and ATS) has alternated wins and losses the last six weeks. The Ravens are coming off an overtime win against the Steelers last week.
Line movement
Green Bay opened as a 3-point favorite and moved to 3.5-point chalk Friday afternoon. The total was posted at 44 and has been bet down to 43.
Injury report
The Packers lost two key parts of their defense recently with season-ending injuries to defensive end Aaron Kampman and cornerback Al Harris. Veteran left tackle Chad Clifton is questionable for this week with a hamstring injury.
Baltimore has also taken hits to its defense with knee injuries to cornerback Fabian Washington and linebacker Terrell Suggs. Washington may be out for the season, while Suggs missed last week's game and is listed as doubtful for Monday.
Safety Ed Reed (ankle) did not participate in practice this week and is questionable. Linebacker Ray Lewis continues to battle a foot injury but is expected to play Monday.
Let it snow
The Ravens got a sneak peek at the potential conditions for Monday night's game at Lambeau.
Heavy snow dumped down on the team's training facility in Owings Mills, Md. on Saturday.
"You learn how to deal with the footing, you learn how to deal with the elements," said Baltimore coach John Harbaugh. "I think that's good. It was good."
Lambeau has a heating system built underneath the turf and the field often gets soggy in snowy conditions.
According to Weather.com, the temperature Monday may dip into the low 20s and there is a 60 percent chance of snow.
Sack the pack
It's hard to throw a pass when you're sitting on your ass.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers ranks third in the NFL in QB rating (104.9) and fourth in TD passes (22), while throwing only five interceptions. But he's also been sacked 44 times, nine more times than anyone else in the league.
Rodgers has acknowledged he has to get rid of the ball faster, but a porous offensive line is getting most of the blame.
"We've got to find a way to protect the guy longer," Packers left guard Daryn College told reporters. "When he's not on his butt, he makes plays. And we need to find a way to keep him standing."
Return to form
Baltimore's defense is getting back to its old self.
Dominant for years, the Ravens defense was ranked 19th in the NFL after the first seven games of this season, including 23rd against the pass. Now, after allowing less than 12 points a game in the last five weeks, Baltimore ranks 10th in overall defense.
"I think we've been great," said linebacker Ray Lewis. "We're playing smart football. Not just defensively, but as a team overall."
Kicking it
After struggling in the kicking game earlier this season, the Ravens appear to have found a solution in Billy Cundiff.
Cundiff was brought in last month to replace Steve Hauschka, who was cut after missing several important field-goal tries.
Cundiff booted five field goals in his Ravens debut two weeks ago and nailed the game-winner in overtime against the Steelers last week. Cundiff, who also played five games for the Browns earlier this season, has made 13 of 15 field goal attempts this year.
Baltimore let long-time kicker Matt Stover go in the offseason.
Trends
Green Bay has won four of the past five meetings between the two teams, though the Ravens routed the Pack 48-3 in the most recent meeting in 2005.
Baltimore is on a 10-4 ATS run on the road, 20-8 on grass and 17-8 overall. The Pack are 3-7-2 ATS in their last 12 home games against teams with a winning road record and 2-5-1 ATS in their last eight games as home faves.
The over is 13-3-1 in the Ravens' last 17 games as a road dog, 8-2 in Baltimore's last 10 Monday games, 24-11-1 in the Packers' last 36 games overall and 13-6 in the last 19 games at Lambeau.
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Monday, December 7
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What bettors need to know: Ravens at Packers
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Baltimore Ravens at Green Bay Packers (-3.5, 43)
Two teams in the hunt for Wild Card spots clash Monday at Lambeau Field.
Green Bay (7-4 straight up, 6-4-1 ATS) has won three straight, but hasn’t played since pounding the Lions on Thanksgiving. Baltimore (6-5 SU and ATS) has alternated wins and losses the last six weeks. The Ravens are coming off an overtime win against the Steelers last week.
Line movement
Green Bay opened as a 3-point favorite and moved to 3.5-point chalk Friday afternoon. The total was posted at 44 and has been bet down to 43.
Injury report
The Packers lost two key parts of their defense recently with season-ending injuries to defensive end Aaron Kampman and cornerback Al Harris. Veteran left tackle Chad Clifton is questionable for this week with a hamstring injury.
Baltimore has also taken hits to its defense with knee injuries to cornerback Fabian Washington and linebacker Terrell Suggs. Washington may be out for the season, while Suggs missed last week's game and is listed as doubtful for Monday.
Safety Ed Reed (ankle) did not participate in practice this week and is questionable. Linebacker Ray Lewis continues to battle a foot injury but is expected to play Monday.
Let it snow
The Ravens got a sneak peek at the potential conditions for Monday night's game at Lambeau.
Heavy snow dumped down on the team's training facility in Owings Mills, Md. on Saturday.
"You learn how to deal with the footing, you learn how to deal with the elements," said Baltimore coach John Harbaugh. "I think that's good. It was good."
Lambeau has a heating system built underneath the turf and the field often gets soggy in snowy conditions.
According to Weather.com, the temperature Monday may dip into the low 20s and there is a 60 percent chance of snow.
Sack the pack
It's hard to throw a pass when you're sitting on your ass.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers ranks third in the NFL in QB rating (104.9) and fourth in TD passes (22), while throwing only five interceptions. But he's also been sacked 44 times, nine more times than anyone else in the league.
Rodgers has acknowledged he has to get rid of the ball faster, but a porous offensive line is getting most of the blame.
"We've got to find a way to protect the guy longer," Packers left guard Daryn College told reporters. "When he's not on his butt, he makes plays. And we need to find a way to keep him standing."
Return to form
Baltimore's defense is getting back to its old self.
Dominant for years, the Ravens defense was ranked 19th in the NFL after the first seven games of this season, including 23rd against the pass. Now, after allowing less than 12 points a game in the last five weeks, Baltimore ranks 10th in overall defense.
"I think we've been great," said linebacker Ray Lewis. "We're playing smart football. Not just defensively, but as a team overall."
Kicking it
After struggling in the kicking game earlier this season, the Ravens appear to have found a solution in Billy Cundiff.
Cundiff was brought in last month to replace Steve Hauschka, who was cut after missing several important field-goal tries.
Cundiff booted five field goals in his Ravens debut two weeks ago and nailed the game-winner in overtime against the Steelers last week. Cundiff, who also played five games for the Browns earlier this season, has made 13 of 15 field goal attempts this year.
Baltimore let long-time kicker Matt Stover go in the offseason.
Trends
Green Bay has won four of the past five meetings between the two teams, though the Ravens routed the Pack 48-3 in the most recent meeting in 2005.
Baltimore is on a 10-4 ATS run on the road, 20-8 on grass and 17-8 overall. The Pack are 3-7-2 ATS in their last 12 home games against teams with a winning road record and 2-5-1 ATS in their last eight games as home faves.
The over is 13-3-1 in the Ravens' last 17 games as a road dog, 8-2 in Baltimore's last 10 Monday games, 24-11-1 in the Packers' last 36 games overall and 13-6 in the last 19 games at Lambeau.
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