AFC North Odds After Week 2: Ravens Odds-On Favorites; Do Browns Present Value?

• The Baltimore Ravens (2-0) lead the AFC North and have the best odds to win the division
• The Pittsburgh Steelers (0-2) lost starting QB Ben Roethlisberger for the season with an arm injury
• The Cleveland Browns (1-1) have a tough stretch of games the next 5 weeks that could hurt their chances
  

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The NFL season is only two weeks old but the AFC North is starting to take shape.

The Baltimore Ravens are undefeated, the Cleveland Browns are coming off a win on Monday Night Football and the Pittsburgh Steelers lost their franchise QB for the year.

AFC North Odds

*Odds taken 9/17/19

Let’s eliminate the Bengals as a contender and treat the division as a three team race. For my money the Ravens are the best bet – so here’s the case for them and against the other two teams in the AFC North.

Is Lamar Jackson an MVP Candidate?

A quick look at the numbers and the answer to that question is a resounding yes. He has 596 yards passing to go along with another 126 on the ground. His 71.9 completion percentage ranks 5th in the league and his 7 touchdown passes are tied for first, and he’s yet to throw an interception.

Lamar Jackson and the Ravens are climbing fast 🚀

Full Power Rankings: https://t.co/XHU6Gb9Xxg pic.twitter.com/ULIfUOsicp

— ESPN (@espn) September 17, 2019

It certainly looks like all the talk Jackson was just a running back was nonsense. He’s on a level matched only by Patrick Mahomes right now and that certainly bodes well for the Ravens. Pairing Jackson with a defense that ranks 2nd in yards allowed and 4th in points against gives Baltimore the clear and decisive edge in the division. Their odds were +320 to start the year but it’s still worth betting them at -120.

Roethlisberger Injury Sinks Steelers Chances

Worse than the 0-2 start to the season is news that Ben Roethlisberger is done for the year. Mason Rudolph should be serviceable but is not the type of QB that can compete with Jackson or even Baker Mayfield.

The three starting QBs who won the Super Bowl in the 2007, 2008 and 2009 seasons won’t be playing in Week 3.

SB XLIV Drew Brees
SB XLIII Ben Roethlisberger
SB XLII Eli Manning

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 17, 2019

Look where the Steelers were only two years ago. Roethlisberger was under center, Le’Veon Bell was in the backfield and Antonio Brown was split out wide. Now?

None of those players are left wearing the black and yellow this season.

The Steelers opened the season with +150 odds to capture the division and have slipped to +800. While there might be a slim chance they can find a way to win the division, +800 doesn’t offer nearly the pay day it would require to take that bet seriously.

Browns in Tough Next Five Games

Following the NFL Divisional Odds can sometimes tip you off to things and that’s what happened here with Cleveland.

Pittsburgh fell drastically in the odds and you’d expect that means a better chance for the Browns but it isn’t what happened. They opened the season at +150 and now sit +155. So why the lack of movement?

.@ColinCowherd predicts the Cleveland Browns will implode in the next month:

“Cleveland is directionless, undisciplined, poorly coached and a hot 24-7 hype mess.” pic.twitter.com/cYN8pJGUHB

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) September 17, 2019

Digging through the schedule it’s easy to see why the oddsmakers don’t love their chances. During that stretch they play at home against the Rams and Seahawks and on the road against the Ravens, 49ers and Patriots. Depending how it plays out they may be underdogs in all five of those games. They already trail Baltimore by a game and could be down several more by the time Week 8 rolls around.

For my money the clubhouse leader is the right play here. Take Baltimore and take them quickly before the value is taken away by the betting sites.

PICK: Baltimore Ravens (-130)