Robert Griffin III has done all he can in an effort to make his NFL comeback complete. The former Heisman Trophy winner and No. 2 overall pick will have one last chance to convince John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens, and that comes against the team that drafted him and where RG3’s career started and faded. Griffin is expected to get plenty of work in the Week 4 preseason finale when the Ravens host the Washington Redskins in the beltway battle.
This duel in Week 4 of the preseason will go down Thursday, August 30, 2018, at 7:30 p.m. ET at MT Bank Stadium.
NFL Opening Odds at BookMaker.eu
Washington Redskins +2.5
Baltimore Ravens -2.5
Over/Under 36
Odds Analysis
The Ravens rarely lose in the preseason and they are a perfect 4-0 this year, using a win over the Dolphins last week to extend their overall winning streak to 12 in a row. They opened as a 2.5-point favorite in this one and they are 10-2 ATS during their streak. The total opened at 36.
Quarterback Rotation
Jay Gruden had one goal in mind for last week’s game and that was to get the ball in the hands of Adrian Peterson as much as possible. He was able to do that with Alex Smith handing the ball off on seven consecutive plays in one possession. But the passing attack stumbled and Smith was just 3 of 8 for 33 yards. “I wish we would have done a little better job in the passing game,” Gruden said.
The health of his team is more important than getting the offense working well together. That can be done in practice, according to Gruden. Smith will not play on Thursday, and we aren’t expected to see much of Colt McCoy. “My whole intent is to get our starting group to Arizona healthy,” Gruden said. Kevin Hogan threw a pair of fourth quarter touchdown passes and hit 7 of 9 for 88 yards against Denver’s backups. He’ll get a bulk of the snaps on Thursday.
The Ravens haven’t kept three QBs on their roster since 2009 so this becomes an audition for Griffin. Joe Flacco is the starter and the team didn’t use a first round pick on Lamar Jackson to have him not be a part of the offense. Griffin started last week against the Dolphins and will get the nod on Thursday.
Griffin has played in all four preseason games going 27 of 41 for 243 yards with a pair of touchdowns. He’s also shown the ability to extend plays with his feet, traits he flashed during his glory days with the Redskins. His numbers are superior to those of Jackson, but the Ravens aren’t going to part with their first-round pick.
Coaching History
Winning in the preseason has become second nature to Harbaugh. The Ravens improved to 4-0 this exhibition campaign, winning their 12th straight tune-up game overall with a 27-10 defeat of the Dolphins last week. Baltimore is 10-2 ATS during that stretch. During his preseason career, Harbaugh is 32-12 and can become the first current coach to go 5-0 in a preseason.
The Redskins have never had a losing preseason under Gruden, who owns a 12-7 career mark. But a loss last week dropped them to 1-2. Under Gruden, the Skins are 3-1 SU and ATS in the final preseason matchup of the year.
Free ATS Pick
There are always position battles that need to be decided in the final preseason game, but rarely does one involve the quarterback. Griffin isn’t battling for the starting job, but he is on the bubble for a roster spot and that makes this game terribly important for him. Oh, and the game is against the team that drafted him back in 2012, which should add a little extra to the festivities.
Even if RG3 doesn’t make the opening day roster, which is a possibility considering the Ravens haven’t kept three QBs in a number of years, there are always teams looking for depth at the position. And if Griffin proves that he can play after taking last season off, clubs will be waiting to sign him. This isn’t just an opportunity to make Baltimore’s roster, it’s also an audition for the 31 other teams out there, several of which will need a competent backup once the regular season rolls around. And because of that, RG3 will shine leading the Ravens to a cover victory.
NFL Betting Odds: Ravens 24, Redskins 13
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