Whether you love or hate the Ravens and Chargers, Sunday’s Week 5 match up at M&T Bank Stadium is a game that should have all football fans excited.
Two of the best young quarterbacks in the league are due to square off as Lamar Jackson and Justin Herbert seek to take their games to even greater heights following excellent Week 5 performances. This young pair are leading their teams towards very bright futures and we could be seeing a lot of Chargers vs Ravens encounters down the line if these two stay on their current paths.
The quarterbacks aside, there’s plenty of other talent to get excited about in this game too as these two 4-1 franchises get set to lock horns. As if this game wasn’t enthralling enough, we’ve put together a four-leg same game parlay which pays out at…
Los Angeles Chargers +3.5 (-145)
Under 10.5 first-quarter points (-148)
Mark Andrews to score a touchdown (+125)
Austin Ekeler over 37.5 receiving yards (-114)
Parlay odds: +1522
Let’s take a deep dive into each leg.
Los Angeles Chargers +3.5 (-145)
Both these teams enter the week off the back of emotional wins and this looks like a classic letdown spot for one of the two. The Ravens came all the way back from 25-9 down in the fourth quarter to defeat the Indianapolis Colts in overtime on Monday, while the Chargers climbed out of a 27-13 hole to knock off the Cleveland Browns.
Both Jackson and Herbert were exceptional in those games and they rightly grabbed the headlines in the aftermath. Now that the dust has settled, it’s easier to cast a critical eye over those performances, and the season in general when assessing who should come out on top with the Chargers getting the edge.
The Bolts have been more consistent than the Ravens this term and could easily be 5-0, while Baltimore has needed an NFL record field goal and two remarkable late shows from Jackson to get to 4-1. The Ravens’ luck has got to run out at some point and if they let the Chargers get their noses in front, as they have done other teams, there might be no comeback this time.
The Bolts are 8-1 ATS in their last 9, while the Ravens are 1-4 ATS at home in their last 5, and taking the points appeals in a matchup this close.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Los Angeles Chargers vs Baltimore Ravens
Under 10.5 first-quarter points (-148)
For five weeks straight this Ravens team has stumbled out of the block, failing to score in the first quarter on three occasions. Against the Colts on Monday, Baltimore’s first four possessions ended up in punts and they are currently averaging 2.8 points in the opening quarter.
The Chargers are slightly better with an average of 4.8 points scored in the first 15 minutes but there’s the potential for this to be a slow burner. Even in the Bolts’ game with Cleveland last week, which featured a grand total of 89 points, only 10 were scored in the first quarter so we may need to be patient when waiting for the fireworks to start.
Mark Andrews to score a touchdown (+125)
When the scoring does start, it’s likely Mark Andrews will have a heavy involvement for the Ravens. The tight end has seen a steady upturn in targets since Week 1, registering his most productive game of the season against the Colts as he went 11-for-13 for 147 yards and two touchdowns.
Andrews got in the endzone the last time Baltimore met the Chargers in 2018 and can strike once more with the Bolts struggling to cover tight ends this year. LA has allowed 30 receptions to tight ends, resulting in four touchdowns, and might find life tough against Andrews.
Austin Ekeler over 37.5 receiving yards (-114)
Like Andrews, Ekeler has worked his way into the Chargers’ offensive plans after a slow start. The running back enjoyed his best night of the year against the Raiders in Week 4 and built on that in the win over the Browns, putting up a combined total of 119 yards and three touchdowns.
With this Ravens team allowing the seventh-fewest rushing yards per game this year, the Chargers could utilize Ekeler more as a pass-catcher. That’s how the Colts got Jonathan Taylor involved on Monday and it worked brilliantly, Taylor having 116 receiving yards. Three of Ekeler’s last four outings have seen him register over 50 receiving yards so keep that in mind for the last leg of the parlay.
Check out the rest of our NFL Week 6 same game parlays!
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