NFL Betting Picks: Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens

Added on Sep 10, 2012 by Jack Thurman in

NFL

The early game in the season opening Monday Night Football doubleheader will pit the Cincinnati Bengals against the Baltimore Ravens in America’s dubiously named ‘Charm City’. The Ravens enter their fifth season under head coach John Harbaugh and there is some sense of urgency about this team. They’ve long been known for a brutally tough defense but the anchor of the stop unit–Ray Lewis–is getting up there in years. Cincinnati is a rebuilding team that appears to be headed in the right direction after a 9-7 year in 2011.

Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens
September 10, 2012 4:00 PM Pacific

The Baltimore Ravens are a sizable -7 point NFL betting favorite in this game but all is not right with the team. Their biggest issue, ironically, could be in the phase of the game most considered their strong suit: the defense. The Ravens will play this season without linebacker Terrell Suggs as he recovers from a torn Achilles tendon. He’s out at least until midseason (the Raiders have put him on the ‘Physically Unable to Perform’ list). Ray Lewis and Ed Reed remain the anchors of the defense but both are older and–presumably–a step slower. Over on the offense, Joe Flacco will never be a great quarterback but is improving and the Ravens are going to go a little more ‘up tempo’ in hopes to increase their sometimes anemic scoring.

The Ravens did win both meetings with the Bengals a year ago but Cincinnati has gone 4-1-1 against the spread in their last six meetings with Baltimore. Like Baltimore the Ravens have their own stout defense–and a significantly younger one than Balitmore’s venerable group of All Pros. Andy Dalton is arguably a better quarterback already than Flacco as he enters his second season in the league and wide receiver A.J. Green is a superstar in the making.

Our view is that the price is simply two high in this matchup between top ten defenses and somewhat pedestrian offenses. Points should be at a premium and that definitely makes Cincinnati the more attractive betting proposition. This game could come down to the last possession and be decided by special teams.

Bet Cincinnati Bengals +7 over Baltimore Ravens