Ravens vs. Buccaneers Thursday NFL injury report, odds, trends: Bettors backing Baltimore, Bucs wideout Mike Evans

It's a matchup of former NFL MVPs tonight to kick off Week 8 as Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens visit Tom Brady and the struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There's a good chance this could be the last-ever meeting between the two quarterbacks. The Ravens were favored early this week, but now are 2-point underdogs at Caesars Sportsbook. Baltimore is taking a heavy lean against the spread. Bucs receiver Mike Evans is popular among the player props.

If Baltimore (4-3) loses, it would be .500 or below through eight games for the first time since Jackson took over as the starting quarterback. If the Bucs (3-4) lose, Brady would be two games under .500 for the first time in his career. He hasn't lost three games in a row since 2002. With 57 rushing yards tonight, Jackson would pass Hall of Famer Steve Young (4,239 career rushing yards) for the fifth-most rushing yards ever by a quarterback. Jackson is set at over/under 60.5 rushing yards at Caesars.

Both teams will be a bit short-handed. At a minimum, the Bucs without left guard Luke Goedeke, defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr., cornerback Carlton Davis, tight end Cameron Brate, receiver Russell Gage and backup cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting. Receiver Julio Jones and defensive lineman Akiem Hicks will likely be out too.

Baltimore is listing Pro Bowl offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley, receiver Rashod Bateman and tight end Mark Andrews as questionable among a few others. Andrews has never missed a game to injury in his five-year career. Defensive end Calais Campbell will not play due to illness. He ranks seventh on the Ravens with 21 tackles and third with three sacks.

Tampa Bay was +1.5 at one point, but as noted is now -2 at BetMGM despite only taking 29% of the wagers and 36% of the money. The total has risen from 44.5 to 46 and 50% of bets are on the Over, along with 60% of the money.

Perhaps consider a wager on Baltimore on the first-half line. The Ravens rank in the top 6 in the NFL in both first-half scoring and first-half scoring defense, with a first-half scoring differential of +6.4. Tampa Bay ranks 29th in first-half scoring and boasts a first-half scoring differential of -1.6

While the most-wagered player prop at BetMGM currently is on Bucs running back Leonard Fournette to score the game's first touchdown at +800, the next two are on Evans: To score an anytime TD at +105 and Over 68.5 receiving yards at -120.

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