Several Ravens felt 'disrespected' and had 'hurt feelings' being considered underdogs vs. 49ers
The Baltimore Ravens head into their Monday night game against the San Francisco 49ers as underdogs. It's only the second time this season that the Ravens haven't been the favored team.
With Baltimore sitting atop the AFC at 11-3, some members of the team didn't like the fact that the 49ers are perceived as the team to beat.
"We feel a little disrespected by that," Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton told ESPN. "I feel like we are the best team in the league, and we have an opportunity in front of the country to show it."
Heading into that game in San Francisco, Baltimore is a 4.5-point underdog, according to BetMGM. The first time the Ravens weren't favored this season was against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2.
"[It] hurt my feelings a little bit," cornerback Marlon Humphrey said of point spread. "I was surprised to see that. But I definitely want to make that incorrect, for sure. And hopefully some people lose some money betting with them and make some money betting with us."
Baltimore has visions of not just winning the AFC North but also finishing as the No. 1 seed in the conference and going deep into the playoffs. And this end-of-season stretch is absolutely critical, as the Ravens have a one-game lead over the Miami Dolphins for the top seed.
To achieve the first of those goals, the Ravens need to defeat San Francisco on Christmas. If they do so, the Ravens will clinch their first division title in four years. Lose, and the Ravens will need help from the Houston Texans. Should the Texans defeat the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, the Ravens would also take the AFC North crown.
Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh is actually leaning into the fact that some of his players aren't happy with Las Vegas doubting them. ESPN said Harbaugh smiled and acknowledged that point "was mentioned, sure," in his conversations with his players.
One player who isn't bothered by Vegas' odds is quarterback Lamar Jackson. From looking at both Monday Night Football and his personal history, it's understandable why Jackson isn't sweating this.
Underdogs have won the past seven Monday night games, which is the longest such streak in MNF history. And in Jackson's career, he has won nine of the 13 games he has gone into as the underdog.
Those aren't bad odds.
"I don't want them to pick us," Jackson told reporters Wednesday. "I like being the underdog. I believe we play better when we're doubted and [when] people aren't choosing us to win the game. I feel like we play better all the time, so just do it all the way to February. That's all I ask."
