Ravens Embrace Underdog Role

| Jan 17, 2012 | 492 comments
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(Credits: GETTY IMAGES)

The Baltimore Ravens have been favored to win most of their games this season, but oddmakers have given them long odds in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game in New England.

Early betting lines out of Las Vegas have the Patriots favored anywhere between 7 1/2 to 9 points.

The Ravens feel they play better when they’re are the underdog, linebacker Jarrett Johnson said Monday.

“We like being the underdog. We’re used to it. I think we handle it better psychologically [than being favored]. I don’t know why, but I think we do,” Johnson said, via CSNBaltimore.com.

New England, the No. 1 seed in the AFC, annihilated the Denver Broncos in their divisional-round contest, while the second-seeded Ravens fought tooth and nail before eliminating the Houston Texans last Sunday.

It’s interesting that Johnson said the Ravens actually prefer being the underdogs. Prior to Sunday’s home playoff game, they played seven straight road playoff games under head coach John Harbaugh and more often than not they were the underdogs.

As home favorites last Sunday, they did not turn in one of their better performances.

After being the favorites last week, the Ravens are now back in their familiar role of having to go on the road with little to lose.

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