Ravens Overtake Chiefs as Super Bowl 55 Favorites After Week 2; It’s the First Time KC Hasn’t Been Favored
- The Baltimore Ravens are the new favorites to win Super Bowl 55
- The defending champion Kansas City Chiefs have the second shortest odds
- Read below for analysis on which of the top-two contenders is the best bet to win it all
The Baltimore Ravens have emerged as the new favorites to win Super Bowl 55.
The Ravens’ odds shortened to +500 from +550 on Sunday night following their 33-16 victory over the Texans in Houston in Week 2.
The defending champion Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl odds remained at +550 after they rallied to post a 23-20 road win over the Los Angeles Chargers in overtime. The Chiefs had been favorite to repeat as champs since the day after winning Super Bowl 54.
Super Bowl 55 Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Baltimore Ravens | +500 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | +550 |
| New Orleans Saints | +1000 |
| San Francisco 49ers | +1200 |
| Seattle Seahawks | +1300 |
Odds taken Sept. 20th at FanDuel.
The Running Ravens
Baltimore used its power running game, which set the NFL record for rushing yards in a season last year, to wear down the Texans.
The Ravens rushed for 230 yards, including 186 in the second half, as they improved to 2-0 and covered as 7.5-point favorites.
Gus Edwards led the way with 73 yards on 10 carries. Mark Ingram added 55 yards in nine attempts, including a 30-yard touchdown run on a direct snap in the fourth quarter that widened the Ravens’ lead to 30-13.
Ingram had a unique way of celebrating the TD.
Karate kid @markingram21 🤣
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/ONLnMWk8A6
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 20, 2020
Lamer Jackson rushed 16 times for 54 yards while also finishing with 204 yards passing and one touchdown.
While Baltimore allowed Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson to throw for 275 yards, they sacked him four times and had an interception. Watson was hit 13 times.
That is two easy wins in a row for the Ravens, who dispatched the Cleveland Browns 42-6 in their opener.
Chiefs Escape
The Chiefs ran their record to 2-0 but it was close. Harrison Butker made his second 58-yard field goal of the game with 1:55 left in overtime to pull out the win.
The Chiefs failed to cover as 8.5-point favorites.
Midway through the third quarter, Kansas City was trailing 17-6. However, they forced overtime on Butker’s 30-yard field goal as time expired in regulation.
Huge team win! So grateful for the opportunity to make big kicks. What a day! Thank You all for the love! #ChiefsKingdom ❤️💛 To the Heights! ⛰ pic.twitter.com/W2QUztFhgu
— Harrison Butker (@buttkicker7) September 21, 2020
Unlike in the season-opening 34-20 victory over the Texans, Patrick Mahomes struggled early against the Chargers’ defense. He turned it on late, though, and finished with 302 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Mahomes completed less than half his passes in the first half for just the third time in his career. However, he was 18 of 25 for 222 yards and a score on the final four drives and had a 22-yard scramble on third-and-21 late in the fourth quarter.
The Chiefs have won six straight games in which they trailed by double digits.
The defense was suspect though, allowing rookie Justin Herbert to throw for 311 yards in his NFL debut.
Big Game Upcoming
The Chiefs and Ravens will get the opportunity to prove who is the better team as they are set to meet in Week 3 on Monday Night Football at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
The Ravens opened as a three-point favorite in a matchup that will include the 2018 NFL MVP (Mahomes) going up against the 2019 NFL MVP (Jackson).
Jackson says the Ravens will be prepared.
"There's still room for improvement for us." @Lj_era8 pic.twitter.com/txIwmWnOur
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 21, 2020
The two stars squared off last season, also in Week 3, and the Chiefs won 33-28 at home as they just covered the 4.5-point spread.
Mahomes threw for 374 yards and three touchdowns. Jackson had 267 yards passing but no TD passes while rushing for 46 yards and a score.
The Ravens’ Mark Ingram ran for three touchdowns and finished with 103 yards on the ground.
The three-point spread indicates that the oddsmakers believe these teams would be evenly matched on a neutral field.
However, the Chiefs have the pedigree of winning the Super Bowl last year. The Ravens, conversely, got knocked off at home by the Tennessee Titans in their first playoff game after having the best regular-season record in the NFL.
The Chiefs are still the best team until proven otherwise. That is why the better bet is Kansas City at +550.
John Perrotto has been covering and writing about sports for various outlets for over 40 years. His work has appeared in the likes of USA TODAY, ESPN.com, SI.com, Forbes.com, The Associated Press, Baseball Digest, and more. John is based out of Beaver Falls, PA.
