Baltimore Ravens vs. Seattle Seahawks 2019: Prediction Against The Spread, Betting Odds For Week 7

The Baltimore Ravens are 4-2 and atop the AFC North because of a weak schedule. The team is likely headed for a Week 7 loss with a 5-1 opponent and the 2019 NFL MVP frontrunner standing in their way.

Baltimore is a 3.5-point underdog in Sunday’s road game against the Seattle Seahawks, according to the latest betting line at OddsShark. The over/under is 50.

The Ravens and Seahawks usually have two of the best defenses in football. That certainly isn’t the case this season, and it could result in a high-scoring affair Sunday afternoon.

With the Legion of Boom no longer intact, Seattle ranks in the bottom-10 against the pass. The Seahawks are 25th in yards allowed per play. Seattle ranks 20th in both scoring and total defense.

A season after ranking first in total defense, Baltimore’s defense hasn’t been any better than that of Seattle. The Ravens are 30th in opponents’ yards per play and 25th in passing defense. Baltimore only ranks a few spots ahead of Seattle in total yards and points allowed because of a 59-10 victory over the still-winless Miami Dolphins in Week 1.

The biggest difference between the two teams is the quarterback position. Lamar Jackson has greatly improved as a passer and turned into a good starter. Russell Wilson is playing better than anyone in the NFL.

Jackson generated some very early and brief MVP buzz when he totaled eight touchdowns, no turnovers, 863 passing yards and 172 rushing yards in the first three weeks. Baltimore’s quarterback has since thrown four touchdown passes and five interceptions with one rushing touchdown and a lost fumble over the last three games.

Wilson’s hot start is still going. In fact, the quarterback seems to somehow be playing better each week. He’s posted a triple-digit passer rating in all six of Seattle’s games, including a passer rating north of 114.0 in all five victories.

Wilson has 14 touchdown passes and no interceptions. He’s run for three more scores and lost one fumble.

The Cleveland Browns have the NFL’s No.8 pass defense. Jackson was picked off twice in a 40-25 loss at home to the Browns. Wilson just led Seattle to a 32-28 win in Cleveland, completing 23 of 33 passes for 295 yards, two scores and no interceptions.

Baltimore needed overtime to win in Pittsburgh as Jackson threw for 161 yards, three interceptions and a 54.9 passer rating. Wilson went 29-35 for 300 yards and three scores in a 28-26 win in Pittsburgh that wasn’t as close as the score indicates.

The Steelers are second in opponents’ yards per play over the last three weeks.

Both the Ravens and Seahawks were beaten by their only opponents that are currently above .500. Seattle has wins over the Los Angeles Rams and Browns. Baltimore’s only victory against a team that’s better than two games below .500 is a 23-17 win over the Arizona Cardinals a home. The Seahawks trounced the Cardinals in Arizona 27-10.

The Seahawks limited Kyler Murray to 27 yards on the ground in that contest. Seattle has an elite linebacking corps, equipped to slow down Jackson’s attempts to run the ball better than most teams.

Seattle does have trouble protecting Wilson with a poor offensive line. Baltimore probably won’t be able to expose that weakness with just 11 sacks in six games and not much of a pass rush.

Patrick Mahomes is the only good quarterback that’s faced the Ravens this season. He lit Baltimore up for 374 yards, three touchdowns and a 132.0 passer rating.

Wilson could put up similar numbers against the Ravens in a Week 7 win.

Prediction: Seattle over Baltimore, 34-27