The Jacksonville Jaguars enter Thursday Night Football as 10-point favorites over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9, a line driven almost entirely by a quarterback crisis that has engulfed the Ravens over the past week.
Ravens Quarterback Crisis
Baltimore's starter Lamar Jackson returned from injury in Week 8 but suffered a throwing-hand injury on the first play from scrimmage, landing on injured reserve awaiting surgery. Backup Tyler Huntley then suffered a season-ending turf toe injury. The Ravens traded for veteran Jacoby Brissett, but the deal will not be finalized until the weekend, leaving undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano to start with Kedon Slovis signed off the Green Bay Packers practice squad as depth.
Best Bet: Over 39.5 Points
Despite the Ravens' turmoil, the Jaguars are not a dominant team, creating a volatile matchup on a short week. The betting market has set the total at 39.5 points, and the over presents value given the potential for Jacksonville to score heavily against a makeshift Baltimore defense, or for the Ravens to abandon the run game and force passes that could lead to turnovers and short fields.
Player Props
Among player props, Zay Flowers is projected to exceed 4.5 receptions at -114 odds. Flowers had recorded five or more catches in every game this season before a zero-catch performance against the Bills last week amid the quarterback chaos. With the Ravens needing to manufacture touches for their top playmaker, offensive coordinator Declan Doyle is expected to scheme quick throws to Flowers near the line of scrimmage.
Justice Hill is another prop target, with over 2.5 receptions at -136. Hill saw four catches on eight targets last week in a similar game script, and as a reliable outlet for a third-string quarterback, he could see heavy volume again.
Anytime Touchdown Props
For anytime touchdown scorers, Jaguars rookie Brian Thomas Jr. is listed at +550. Despite a quiet season, he scored a touchdown last week and the Jaguars may showcase him ahead of the trade deadline. On the Ravens side, rookie Ja'Kobi Lane is offered at +700, a speculative play based on his training camp rapport with Fagnano and the likelihood of Baltimore taking a 'kitchen sink' approach in a desperate situation.
