Baltimore Ravens Ready to Take out Frustrations as MNF Betting Fave vs. Texans

The Baltimore Ravens are ready to take out their frustrations on the Houston Texans this Monday night, Dec. 13th, as an MNF betting road favorite.

The Ravens might still be in shock after they controlled the entire game versus the rival Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday night only to see the Steelers get a 4th quarter TD to win the game. Now, the Ravens are in a must win situation versus the Houston Texans who have simply imploded since starting out the season going 3 and 1 straight up and 3 and 1 in the sportsbook in their first 4 games.

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What team is the one to back in MNF betting when the Ravens and Texans clash on Monday night?

Baltimore Ravens (8-4) at Houston Texans (5-7)

Where: Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

When: Dec. 13th, 2010 at 8:30 pm EST

TV: ESPN

Radio: Sirius-XM 125 (BAL) 126 (HOU)

NFL Betting Line

Baltimore Ravens -3 -110 O 45 ½ -110

Houston Texans +3 -110 U 45 ½ -110

The football trends favor neither team in this contest.

• The Baltimore Ravens are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games on grass.
• The Baltimore Ravens are 1 and 4 ATS versus a team with a losing record.
• The Houston Texans are 8 and 3 ATS in their last 11 games as a home underdog.
• The Houston Texans are 1 and 4 ATS in their last 5 home games.

The Houston Texans have to be considered one of the biggest disappointments this season. After starting out the season 4 and 2, the Texans went on their bye and then came back as one of the worst teams in the NFL. Houston has gone 1 and 5 straight up and 2 and 4 ATS in their 6 games since their bye week. That’s the reason that they are the MNF betting dogs in this game even though they’re the home team.

The Texans’ offense isn’t bad, it’s ranked 7th in the NFL in total yards with 372.9 per game, but the defense is just horrid. Houston allows 388.8 yards per game on average and 26.8 points per game. The Texans are ranked dead last in the league at stopping the pass. You know the old saying that offense wins during the regular season and defense wins during the playoffs? Well, for the Texans, defense loses during the regular season and offense wins nothing.

Houston just can’t outscore teams with a decent defense. The Ravens have a better than decent defense. Baltimore is ranked 7th defensively in total yards allowed and, more importantly for this game, is ranked 6th in rushing yards allowed. The Ravens are good at stopping the run and stopping Houston RB Arian Foster is the key to success at keeping the Texans’ offense under control.

The Ravens’ D might be the reason that they are the MNF betting faves in this contest, but their ability to cover the spread in this game rests on the shoulders of inconsistent QB Joe Flacco. Flacco has looked like a hall-of-fame QB in waiting one moment and an absolute bust the next. Flacco lost a key passing option in TE Todd Heap last Sunday versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. Without Heap, the Ravens could spend more time rushing the ball with Willis McGahee and Ray Rice on Monday night. That might not be a bad thing for Flacco and it could open things up for Joe and his best wide receiver, Anquan Boldin.

The biggest reason to make the Ravens the MNF betting pick in this game, though, is this: Baltimore takes on the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints in two weeks. I don’t see how they let an opportunity to take a closer step to the playoffs get in their way this Monday night against an inferior team with such a tough matchup on the horizon.

I have to go with the Ravens to cover the spread in the sportsbook in this Monday night matchup.

NFL Betting Pick: Baltimore Ravens -3

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