NFL upsets reigned s🔴upreme in Week 2 as nine underdogs won outright, and a handful of teams are left scratching their heads going into Week 3.
Since 1990, only 11.5% of teams that started 0-2 have madඣe the playoffs.
Since the NFL e🗹xpanded the postseason in 2020, just two of 32 teams (6.3%) to start 0-2 have advanced.&nbs𒀰p;
The odds are stacked against two should-be Super B💟oဣwl contenders from the AFC North.
Let’s look at the current odds for the winless Ravens and Bengals and m𝓡ake a case for them either making or missing the playoffs.
Ravens (-132 to make playoffs, +108 to miss playoffs – FanDuel)
On Sunday, the Ravens suffꦑered a shocking defeat at home to the Raiders.
With a post-game win expectancy of 94.5%, Baltimore blew a 10-point lead🌊 midway through the fourth quarter and lost on a field goal in the final minute.
Still, according to FTN Fantasy, the Ravens have a 63.4% chance of making the playoffs, which would mak𝓰e fair value -175 odds.
FTN also gives Baltimore a 38% chance of winning the AFC North (best in the division), translating to around +160 odds. Baltimore is priced at +210 to win the AFC North on DraftKings.
According to Tankathon, the Raven🐽s have the fifth-most difficult remaining sc🐎hedule in the NFL.
Still, they benefit from the largest net rest edge in the league, with a 💦+16-day advantage, according to Sharp Football.
Under John Harbaugh, the Ravens have a league-best 21-5 (81%) re📖cord over the last 26 game💛s with a rest edge of at least three days.
I expect the Ravens offensive line to contin♋ue to gel as the season progresses, and the backfield tandem of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry remains a terrifying duo to defend.
The defense is bound to take a step back after losing Mike Macdonald, who orchestrated last year’s elite unit, but the likes of Justin Madubuike, Roqua🍃n Smith, Kyle Hamilton and Marlon Humphrey ensure this is still a top-five unit.
In the next t🔯hree weeks, Baltimore faces the Cowboys, Bills and Bengals — a stretch that will decide the﷽ir fate this season.
If you believe they can go 2-1 or better, which I 𒊎do, you should bet them to make the playoffs.
However, with the vulnerable Steelers in fir♕st place, I’d ins💃tead shoot for the upside with the Ravens to win the AFC North.
Recommendations: Ravens to make playoffs or win AFC North.
Bengals (-130 to make playoffs, +106 to miss playoffs)
Based on the current odds, t🃏he Bengals are still favored to make the playoffs, and a -138 price tag has an implied probability of about 58%.
T🧸hat’s in stark contrast to FTN’s numbers, which gives them a 46.5% chance to make the playoffs.
Thꦕat would make fair odds on Cincinnati to make the playoffs♔ at +115, with fair odds to miss around -115. ;
Before the season, I recommended the Bengals miss the postseason at +205 oddsꦰ, which l๊ooks like tremendous value now.
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Upcoming games against Jayden Daniels, Andy Dalton and Daniel Jones will help pa♚🦩d their record, but I have long-term concerns about this team.
After ranking 29th in defe👍nsive-line yards last year, the Bengals have not improved their run defense since losing D.J. Reader, ranking 29th in early-down run defense success rate through two weeks.
The continued absence of Tee🥂 Higgins also limits the team’s offensive explosiveness.
I’d be stunned if the Bengals didn’t bounce back with a Week 3 home game against the Commanders, and if🏅 you didn’t already bet them to miss the playoffs, I’d wait until after that contest to get a better number.
Recommendation: Pass for now♏; wait until after the Bengals’ Week 3 MNF game.
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Jacob Wayne handicaps college football and the NFL for the New York Post. He’s up 84.5 units across the two sports with a 6.27% ROI.