Monday Night Football odds, spread, line: Ravens vs. Saints predictions, NFL picks from expert who's 35-14

Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens will face a road test on Monday Night Football. Baltimore is 5-3 this season after back-to-back wins, and the Ravens are 3-1 on the road in 2022. However, Baltimore will put its AFC North lead on the line against the New Orleans Saints, with the home team showing dominating in Week 8. New Orleans throttled the Las Vegas Raiders by a 24-0 margin last week, and the Saints are in the mix in the NFC South despite a 3-5 overall record.

Kickoff is at 8:15 p.m. ET in New Orleans. Caesars Sportsbook lists Baltimore as a 1.5-point road favorite, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 46.5 in the latest Ravens vs. Saints odds. Before making any Saints vs. Ravens picks or NFL predictions, see what SportsLine's resident Ravens expert, Mike Tierney, has to say.

A veteran sportswriter whose work appears periodically in The New York Times and Los Angeles Times, Tierney has covered the NFL for decades and reported from seven Super Bowls. He entered the 2022 NFL season 232-204-10 ATS since the start of the 2018 season. He also is an amazing 35-14-2 on his last 51 NFL picks involving the Ravens, returning $1,950. Anybody following him has seen big returns. 

Now, Tierney has broken down the Ravens vs. Saints Monday Night Football matchup from every angle and just released his picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his MNF picks. Here are several NFL odds and betting lines for Saints vs. Ravens:

• Ravens vs. Saints spread: Ravens -1.5
• Ravens vs. Saints over/under: 46.5 points
• Ravens vs. Saints money line: Ravens -120, Saints +100
• BAL: Ravens are 3-4-1 against the spread this season
• NO: Saints are 3-5 against the spread this season
• Ravens vs. Saints picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why the Ravens can cover

The Ravens create havoc on a regular basis, ranking No. 3 in turnover rate (16.7%) and producing 14 turnovers in eight games. Baltimore is in the top six in interceptions and fumbles recovered, and the Ravens are elite against the run. Opposing teams are averaging only 97.5 rushing yards per game against Baltimore, and the Ravens are holding opponents to 34.4% on third down. The Saints have 16 turnovers on offense this season, third-most in the NFL, and Baltimore projects to be opportunistic.

On offense, Baltimore ranks in the top five in scoring (26.0 points per game), with 2.35 points per drive and a scoring rate of 44.2%. The Ravens are also arguably the best rushing team in the NFL, averaging a league-best 5.7 yards per carry with 1,325 rushing yards in eight games. Baltimore is also in the top 10 in total offense, turnover avoidance, touchdown passes, and third down conversion rate. See which team to pick here.

Why the Saints can cover

The Saints are in the top 10 in total defense, yielding only 320.8 total yards per game. New Orleans is also No. 4 in first downs allowed and No. 6 in third down conversion rate allowed (33.7%). Opponents are scoring touchdowns on only 50% of trips inside the red zone against the Saints, and New Orleans is better than league-average in passing yards allowed and rushing yards allowed this season.

New Orleans should be comfortable against a Baltimore offense that is No. 26 in passing yards, and the Ravens also have defensive shortcomings. Baltimore is below-average in both scoring defense and total defense, and the Ravens allow 2.21 points per drive. The Ravens are also No. 25 in first downs allowed and No. 28 in passing yards allowed, with New Orleans averaging 29.6 points per game since Andy Dalton took the reins at quarterback. See which team to pick here.

How to make Ravens vs. Saints picks

Tierney has scrutinized the Saints vs. Ravens matchup and revealed his pick. He is leaning Under the point total and also says a critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back. He's sharing what it is, and which side to back, only at SportsLine.

Who wins Saints vs. Ravens on Monday Night Football? And what critical X-factor makes one side a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Saints vs. Ravens spread you should be all over for Monday's matchup, all from the expert who's 35-14 on picks involving Baltimore, and find out.