The NFL playoffs are some of the most anticipated and watched weeks of the entire sporting year because the best teams compete at highest level with the largest implications: win or go home. This week, two of the best teams, the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens, will compete with severe playoff implications.
The Cowboys are currently 1-1 after losing at home to the red-hot Saints, 44-19. This loss dropped the Cowboys to a .500 record and put them in 3rd in their division. What is more concerning is that in the last 15 years, according to Football @ JT-SW.com, the Cowboys have only made the playoffs 1 single time without winning their division. These stats show that the last 15 years, the Cowboys historically have a 6% chance of making the playoffs as a wildcard team.
Playing at home again in week 3, America’s Team is in a must win situation or they risk dropping to a losing record while the rest of their division battles for the top spot. If the Cowboys, currently underdogs at home, can pull off the upset against Baltimore, they would likely jump to the top of the division and significantly increase their chances of making the playoffs.
The rest of the NFC East are all road underdogs in week 3: New York +7 @ Cleveland, Philadelphia +3 @ New Orleans, and Washington +7 @ Cincinnati. Not only are the Cowboys the shortest underdogs compared to the rest of their division, Dak Prescott’s squad is the only home team as well. After week 3, Dallas could be anywhere between 1st and 4th in a surprisingly competitive division.
While Dallas is trying to gain an advantage in an early season playoff caliber game, the 0-2 Ravens will be trying to avoid catastrophe. According to Sports Illustrated: since 1990, only 4 of the 162 teams that started 0-3 have made the playoffs, 2.5%. Baltimore currently sits with an 0-2
record and are short road favorites (-1.5) on Sunday. Being a road favorite indicates that the sharps in Vegas expect Baltimore to win. A -1.5 spread, or a -130 money line, gives Baltimore an implied win probability of 56%. However, last week, Baltimore had in implied win probability of 81% and lost outright 26-23 at home vs the Raiders.
Since taking over the team in 2008, John Harbaugh has led his team to the playoffs in 11 of 15 seasons. Since star quarterback and reigning MVP, Lamar Jackson joined forces with the older Harbaugh brother in 2018, the Ravens have only missed the playoffs one time, in 2021 where Jackson only played in 12 games. If they lose on the road against Dallas on Sunday night, Harbaugh and Jackson have, historically, only a 2.5% chance to keep their playoff appearance trend alive.
Don’t miss America’s Team against the hopeful Baltimore “Bounce Back” Ravens in what should be a high level game with playoff implications.
