NFL Picks Week 7: Ravens Will Have No Trouble Covering vs. Jaguars

Anybody else notice that there's something weird going on with Monday Night Football this year? Unless I'm forgetting something, I don't think MNF has showcased a single intriguing matchup all season.

Alas, this will not change this coming Monday when the Baltimore Ravens take on the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Ravens could very well be the best team in the AFC. The Jaguars, on the other hand, are just barely a step above the Miami Dolphins and the Indianapolis Colts.

No wonder the oddsmakers aren't giving them much of a shot to beat the Ravens. Bodog has the Ravens favored by eight points, and that seems pretty generous when you consider how the Jags are going to be lucky if they even score eight points.

Make no mistake, the Ravens will have a considerable defensive advantage in this game. It's possible that Blaine Gabbert will be a good quarterback someday, but right now he's at the head of the league's worst passing offense. Against a Ravens defense that ranks seventh in the NFL in pass defense, you have to think that Gabbert will be in for a rough night.

As such, it's going to be up for Maurice Jones-Drew to help move the Jags' offense. This is something that MJD is more than capable of doing. In fact, he may be doing better work this year than he has at any point in his career seeing as how he has no passing game to help keep defenses honest.

But MJD will also be in for a tough evening. The Ravens are third in the NFL in rushing defense, and have yet to allow any running back to rush for more than 75 yards against them. MJD will make them bend, but he won't make them break.

Giving credit where credit is due, it's not like the Jaguars are a helpless defensive team in their own right. They're actually pretty tough, and have done good work against some good offensive teams, namely the New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers.

For their part, the Ravens are a pretty good offensive team. Not elite, but pretty good. The Jags can expect to see a solid diet of Ray Rice, but I'd be surprised if the Ravens ran roughshod over them.

The reason I think the Ravens will end up covering is because they don't necessarily need their offense to do all the scoring, as they lead the league with four defensive touchdowns. It's true that Mark Sanchez is responsible for three of these, but it won't be at all surprising if an aggressive defense like Baltimore's is able to force Gabbert into making a rookie mistake or two.

If all the pieces come together, we're looking at a blowout. If even a couple pieces come together, we're looking at an easy win for the Ravens.

Ravens 27, Jaguars 15