NFL Week 1: Ravens @ Broncos Preview

Football season is finally here and to answer the question on everybody’s mind:  We are indeed ready for some football.

The season will kick off with a matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and the Denver Broncos.  This budding rivalry started during the playoffs when the Ravens would dash the Broncos Super Bowl hopes with an interception in the fourth quarter.  Regardless of what Manning and Company say in the press, they will be looking for some revenge against the Ravens.

We have already discussed a controversy in Denver where Ravens QB Joe Flacco’s  face was plastered all over the city, including on Bronco’s stadium much to the chagrin of Denver fans.  It is little tensions like this that are going to explode when these two teams finally clash in the season opener.

The Ravens lost Ray Lewis to retirement and let several key players, most notably Ed Reid, walk away during the offseason.  However, the Ravens looked good during the preseason.  Their defense actually performed similar to the Super Bowl winning squad they had last year.  However, there real test will be to see how they perform against a team as talented as the Denver Broncos.

On offense Flacco has lost his go-to target in Anquan Boldin who will be wearing a San Fransico 49ers jersey this season.  Who Flacco’s most trusted receiver will be now is anybody’s guess.  It is a situation that has put a tremendous amount of pressure on the shoulders of running back Ray Rice who will be expected to pick up the slack if the pass-game falls flat.

Meanwhile, the Broncos gave Manning an important new target over the offseason in Wes Welker.  Expect the Broncos offense to be just as beast as it was last year as they have only improved.  The Broncos will also be moving to a three back system in the backfield swapping Knowshon Moreno, Ronnie Tillman and explosive rookie Monte Ball in and out, giving each a chance to do something big.

Defensively, on the other hand, the Broncos could be in trouble.  One of the leading sackers in Denver, Elvis Dumervil defected to the Ravnes. Both Von Miller and Derek Wolfe will also be absent from the game.  Miller is is serving a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, while Wolfe is nursing a sore neck.  Both are Denver’s remaining top tier pass rushers.  This means either someone else on the Broncos defense is going to have to step up, or the game is going to rest entirely on the Broncos offense to get the job done.

Looking at the odds at my favorite betting site, Bovada, The Broncos are the favorites to win with a -7.5 point spread.  The moneyline to bet on Baltimore is set at +265 compared to the Broncos -330.  I expect this game to be much closer than what the odds deem it.  The game starts at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC.  Make sure you watch the game with some hot chicks who will be stripping during the game at our new website StripSportsBetting.  You won’t regret it.