Lamar Jackson is back and all is right in the world of Baltimore again.
In his return from a three-game absence to a hamstring injury, Jackson lit up the Dolphins for 218 yards and four touchdowns.
The Ravens are 3-5, but are far from out of the AFC North conversation, sitting two games back from a Steelers team with a torpid offense.
With Jackson back in the picture, the Ravens are a dynamic offense again with Derrick Henry in the backfield. The two-time NFL rushing leader has eclipsed 100 yards in two of his last three games.
Despite all of the Ravens’ adversity this year, Henry is still netting 4.9 yards per carry and continues to display burst and efficiency at 31.
The Vikings, who have already allowed at least 80 yards to five rushers this season, are ranked 20th in rushing defense and give up 122.3 yards per game.
A lot of this is because their front seven has struggled to maintain gap discipline, especially against power runners; the Vikings let David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs trounce up and down the gridiron for 108 yards and a pair of touchdowns last week.
With Jackson under center, the Vikings won’t be able to stack the box, fearing his read options.
Betting on the NFL?
Henry busted up the Dolphins because the safeties were forced deep against Jackson and it opened up huge lanes for him.
I’m expecting more of the same with this Vikings secondary, which has allowed over 280 passing yards in four straight games.
Baltimore enters as a 3.5-point road favorite, a setup that points to a potential run-heavy script if they seize control early.
With J.J. McCarthy still finding his footing, the Ravens should dominate time of possession, setting Henry up for another busy afternoon to close the door late.
THE PLAY: Derrick Henry Over 80.5 rushing yards (-114, FanDuel)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Sean Treppedi handicaps the NFL, NHL, MLB and college football for the New York Post. He primarily focuses on picks that reflect market value while tracking trends to mitigate risk.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
