I never expected the Ravens defense to be paying to this level after the way it started the season, and the additional opportunities it is giving one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the NFL is of major importance. Then add in Lamar Jackson’s greatness and the tremendous one-two punch that Mark Ingram brings on the ground with Jackson, and Baltimore has run roughshod through its schedule to this point. Betting against a primetime home underdog — with a hook — is a tough ask, but the Rams do not have the playmakers to stretch the field consistently enough against this defense, even with Brandin Cooks back.

The erratic Rams are looking at an uphill battle to even grab a wild-card spot amid a loaded NFC West. Their schedule doesn't get much easier down the stretch, so Monday's game rates as a proverbial must-win from a motivation standpoint. the Ravens are one of the hottest teams in the NFL and a deserved favorite. But they are also a super-heavy public side, and the key-number hook adds extra value on the home underdog?

The more I look at this matchup, the fewer points I see being scored. Lamar Jackson has gone supernova lately, but Wade Phillips and the Rams defense can slow him down a bit. On the flip side, the Rams offense will want Jared Goff doing as little as possible against a Ravens defense that has been great against the pass since adding Marcus Peters. That should lead to a healthy dose of the run game, which will keep the Ravens offense off the field, and the total low.

The Ravens have won six in a row and covered in their last four, while the Rams have looked shaky but have won three of their last four. It’s the defense that has been saving the Rams while Jared Goff struggles, and that has helped them stay under the total in five straight games. The L.A. defense allows only 89 rushing yards per game.

The Ravens' defense has been the best in football since they traded for Marcus Peters. They sacked Deshaun Watson seven times last week and will make things uncomfortable for Jared Goff, who doesn't handle pressure well. Lay it.

The Rams can't protect Jared Goff. Plus, that Ravens secondary is loaded with Jimmy Smith, Marcus Peters and Earl Thomas. Baltimore is playing as well as anybody and the Rams are in trouble here.

The Ravens are the best team in the NFL right now, and their six-game winning streak includes great defensive efforts against the Seahaws in Seattle and at home against the Patriots and Texans. The Rams offense has limped through their last two games since the bye, and while their defense has been excellent, Lamar Jackson presents a unique challenge. This line is going up, and while it's smart to lock it in now and get Ravens -3, the Rams don't have a great home-field advantage and I expect the Ravens to cover even at whatever the closing line is. They're just playing that well

The biggest question in this game will be if Rams QB Jared Goff can handle the pressure generated by Baltimore's defense and make big plays. He was shielded from those responsibilities a lot versus Chicago. If Goff can produce, Los Angeles has a chance. I don't see that happening, and the Rams' defense will have problems slowing down Ravens QB Lamar Jackson and the passing game.

The visiting team has averaged nearly 40 points in the past four outings. The home side has managed two offensive touchdowns in the last two games. The difference is so stark that Baltimore is a no-brainer. CB Marcus Peters, traded to the Ravens by L.A. last month, could return to haunt his former team. In four games with his new squad, Peters already has a pair of long TD interception returns.