Jaguars take 9.5-point lead over injury-ravaged Ravens

The Jacksonville Jaguars hold a 9.5-point betting lead over the Baltimore Ravens in Thursday Night Football, with the total points line set at 39.5.

Kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET at M&T Bank Stadium on November 5. Fans can stream the game on Amazon Prime, and DraftKings Sportsbook lists the visitors as the favored side.

Baltimore enters the contest with a depleted quarterback room. Starter Lamar Jackson returned from an ankle injury during the previous game against the Buffalo Bills but was injured again on his first offensive play. Backup quarterback Tyler Huntley also suffered an injury in that same contest.

With both signal callers sidelined, the Ravens will start Joe Fagnano, an undrafted free agent from UConn who entered the game against Buffalo. Fagnano completed 10 of 21 passes for 91 yards and an interception in that appearance. He threw primarily to running backs and did not connect with wide receiver Zay Flowers. Veteran Jacoby Brissett is reportedly en route to assist the team but will not be active for Thursday night’s game.

The Jaguars are coming off a weekly bye and a 42-7 victory over division rival the Indianapolis Colts. That win improved Jacksonville to a 5-2 record. The team’s offense has performed well recently, while the defense has maintained strong standards throughout the season.

Running back Bhayshul Tuten carried the ball 16 times for 104 yards and a touchdown in the win over Indianapolis. Chris Rodriguez added 41 yards and a score on six carries. Rodriguez is expected to play despite a limited practice week due to a hand injury. Tuten, however, is a game-time decision after missing all practices this week with an ankle injury.

Baltimore has allowed only 3.8 yards per carry this season. According to Tru Media, 0.8 of those yards come before contact. The Ravens allowed 146 rushing yards to the Bills in the previous game, but much of that damage resulted from plays by Ray Davis and Josh Allen in the late stages of the contest.

Trevor Lawrence has completed 65.7% of his passes for an average of 8.5 yards per attempt this season. He has thrown 17 touchdowns against four interceptions, holding a league-high touchdown rate of 8.6%. His primary target is wide receiver Parker Washington, who plays outside and in the slot. Baltimore ranks 21st in net yards per attempt allowed.

The Ravens are expected to rely heavily on running back Derrick Henry, who has 45 carries for 156 yards and a touchdown over his last three games. Jacksonville has allowed just 3.4 yards per carry this season, the best mark in the league.

The Jaguars face a Baltimore defense that has not met expectations from cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey or Nate Wiggins this season. The visitors are positioned to control the game given the disparity in quarterback play and offensive health.