Ravens Vs. Colts Week 5 Monday Night Football Betting Preview

• The Baltimore Ravens are seeking their fourth straight win as they take on the Indianapolis Colts as 7-point favorites in Week 5’s Monday Night Football matchup.
• The Indianapolis Colts look to improve to 3-2 against the spread in their fifth straight matchup as an underdog in 2021.

BALTIMORE – The Baltimore Ravens host the Indianapolis Colts for Week 5’s Monday Night Football matchup, with the opening kickoff slated for 8:15 PM EST on ESPN.

NFL Week 5 Monday Night Football Betting Odds

The Ravens

After losing their opening matchup to the Las Vegas Raiders, the Baltimore Ravens have reeled off three straight wins, including two as the underdog. Their record sits at 2-1 (2-2 ATS).

QB Lamar Jackson led the Ravens’ offense in last week’s 23-7 win over the Denver Broncos as 1-point underdogs, completing 22 of his 37 passing attempts for 316 yards and 1 touchdown, surpassing his completion prop (17.5, -130) and his passing yardage prop (195.5, -110) with internet sportsbooks.

Jackson was limited in his contributions to the rushing game, however: he tallied just 28 yards on 7 carries in Week 4. Jackson has averaged 69.75 rushing yards per game in 2021, even with the 28-yard performance in Week 4. His total rushing yards prop is set at 67.5 (both sides -114), which he could easily eclipse if he breaks off a big play.

Lamar’s decrease in carries in Week 4 may be due to an increase in the workload of 8-year NFL veteran running back Latavius Murray, who totaled 18 carries for 59 yards and a touchdown in Week 4. Murray has scored a rushing touchdown in three of the Ravens’ four games in 2021, though Week 4 was the first time he tallied more than 10 carries.

Expect the emergent Murray to receive a similar workload as last week in Monday night’s matchup against the Colts, making his total carries O/U (O 13.5 +102) one of the best value player props of the week. His anytime touchdown scorer prop (+120) is another good value for a player who has scored 3 touchdowns on 44 carries.

The Colts

The Indianapolis Colts got their first win in Week 4, defeating the Miami Dolphins 27-17  as 2.5-point underdogs. The Colts have been underdogs in every game so far in 2021, covering the spread in two of their four matchups.

The Colts’ victory over the Dolphins in Week 4 came largely as a result of Jonathan Taylor’s best performance of 2021. Taylor rushed for 103 yards on 16 carries and 1 touchdown in Week 4, while also reeling in each of his three targets in the passing game. Taylor’s rushing yards prop is set at 59.5 (both sides -114) this week.

Taylor has shown a solid increase in efficiency in the last two games, averaging 6.42 yards per carry after averaging just 3.34 yards per carry in his first two games. Taylor also holds a total carries O/U prop of 13.5 (O 13.5 -143) for Week 5, a number he has exceeded in three of his first four games.

The points total is set at a relatively low 46.5 – this is likely due to the fact that the total has gone UNDER in each of the last 8 matchups between these two teams. Both teams feature rush-heavy offenses, meaning a low-scoring grind may be in store.

News tags: Baltimore Ravens | Denver Broncos | football | Indianapolis Colts | Jonathan Taylor | Lamar Jackson | Latavius Murray | Miami Dolphins | Monday Night Football | NFL