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Posts Tagged ‘Baltimore Ravens’

January 7th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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There might not have been a more improbable team in the playoffs this year than the Kansas City Chiefs. They were one of the longest shots on the board to win their division regardless of what division you were talking about in football, but they are laughing last. KC beat the NFL odds all year long, and now it has to overcome some awfully long Super Bowl odds this week to take care of the Baltimore Ravens, who have become known as killers to home teams in the AFC playoffs.

Matchup: Baltimore Ravens @ Kansas City Chiefs
Date: Sunday, January 9th, 1:00 ET
Location: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Game Line: Baltimore -3
Over/Under 40.5

Ravens Notes: Over the course of the last two seasons, the Ravens have really done well in the playoffs, taking care of a number of teams en route to the AFC Divisional round of the playoffs and the AFC Championship Game in back to back years. This is the third year in a row that they are going to have to win three road games if they want to play for the Lombardi Trophy. The argument could be made that this is the best team that the Ravens have put together in a number of seasons, and that might even include the Super Bowl squad. QB Joe Flacco is one of the best up and coming signal callers in the league, and he proved it this year by throwing for 3,622 yards and 25 TDs against just 10 picks on the season. He has a great crop of receivers to work with as well, as WR Derrick Mason, WR Anquan Boldin, WR TJ Houshmanzadeh, and the always dependable TE Todd Heap were all great this year. RB Ray Rice was also used as a pass catching option quite a bit, 63 times to be exact. Rice had 556 yards through the air and 1,223 more on the ground, and though he only had six scores for the season, we know that he can go off for a tremendous game at the drop of a hat. Boldin, Mason, and Heap all also hit the 600 yard barrier this year. Boldin and Mason had nearly identical numbers, as the two combined for 125 receptions, 1,639 yards, and 14 trips to the end zone. Defensively, things really changed when S Ed Reed came back into the lineup. He has eight picks this year, which led the league, and he missed the first six weeks of the year on the PUP list. As always, LB Ray Lewis is one of the best in the biz as well, as he had a pair of picks, a pair of sacks, a pair of fumble recoveries, and a team high 102 tackles on the year. Needless to say, he and several of his teammates on this side of the ball will be playing in the Pro Bowl this year.

Chiefs Notes: Arrowhead Stadium has become a real house of horrors for the opposition this year, as the only team to come in here and pull out a victory was the Oakland Raiders. However, what we have to remember is that there was only one team that this team beat all season long that finished above .500, and the 'W' against the San Diego Chargers came way back in Week 1. In fact, there was only one other team that even finished this year above .500 on this entire slate, and the Chiefs lost to the Indianapolis Colts by 10. The good news for KC is that it has a great mold for winning games. Run the ball, and play great defense. The 'D' has some real stars on it this year, and the addition of S Eric Berry has clearly made a big difference. DE Tamba Hali is headed to the Pro Bowl as well after he picked up 14.5 sacks on the campaign. Offensively, the team averaged 164.2 yards per game on the ground this year, led by RB Jamaal Charles. The former University of Texas standout averaged a league high 6.4 yards per carry this year, and he had 1,467 yards and five TDs this year. Don't forget about RB Thomas Jones either, who had 896 yards and six TDs. When QB Matt Cassel has to put the ball in the air, he generally does well, though he is coming off of the worst game of his career against the Oakland Raiders. Cassel threw for 3,116 yards and 27 TDs against seven picks this year, one of the best TD/INT ratios in the league. WR Dwayne Bowe led the NFL in receiving TDs with 15, and he had 72 catches for 1,162 yards in 2010.

The Final Word: Kansas City has been a nice story this year, but this team is nothing more than smoke and mirrors. The Chiefs really haven't done anything but beat the teams that they were supposed to beat this year, and unfortunately for them, this isn't a team that they are supposed to beat. Going on the road isn't going to intimidate the Ravens, and unfortunately for the hosts, they are going to be the next team in line that had no business getting in their way. Quoth the Ravens: Never score. Don't be shocked if this one gets very, very ugly.

Free Pro Football Picks: Baltimore -3
Prediction: Baltimore 17 – Kansas City 6

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December 11th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Playoff dreams could be realized and could be smashed on Monday Night Football this week, and here at Cappers Info, we have all of the best news and notes to be able to make your NFL picks in the duel between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans this week.

Matchup: Baltimore Ravens @ Houston Texans
Date: Monday, December 13th, 8:30 ET
Location: Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX
Game Line: Houston +3
Over/Under 46

Ravens Notes: This just seems like it is destined to be another one of those years where the Ravens have to come through a very tough path on the road if they want to make it to the Super Bowl, and as a result, it will probably be yet another year in which they fall just short of the biggest game of the season. Baltimore really should have had the AFC North on lockdown last week, but it let the Pittsburgh Steelers back into the game and eventually let them win it at the death. Now, instead of having a one game lead with the tiebreaker with four to play, the Ravens are one back and are probably in a position to lose the tiebreaker with four to play. The good news is that a win in this one leaves them two games up on safety for the last Wild Card spot in the AFC, thus they'll be in great shape to make the second season. However, a loss could open up Pandora's Box for all sorts of teams to feel like they have a chance at swiping that last bid to the playoffs, including these Texans. QB Joe Flacco is just a few passes away from being a 3,000 yard passer this year, and he should be in for a field day against a very suspect Houston secondary. WR Anquan Boldin already has 770 yards and seven TDs as a receiver this year, and he will be the prime focus for the offensive assault on Monday night. RB Ray Rice is a real dual threat, as he is the top rusher for the team with 847 yards and three TDs, and he is second on the team in receptions with 49 and fourth in yards at 410. Watch for WR Derrick Mason, who has 47 receptions and 598 yards this year, as this could be the biggest game of his season. No analysis of the Ravens would be complete without talking about LB Ray Lewis, SS Ed Reed, and this defense, though. This unit has played awesome ball for the majority of the year, as the unit is allowing just 305.8 yards and 16.8 points per game.

Texans Notes: Last season, the Texans were in this very familiar spot at this juncture of the season, and they probably needed a lot more help than this to get into the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Houston did its job last year, running the table to finish 9-7, but it still was the first team left out of the playoffs, as the New York Jets stole that last spot on the last day of the season. Things seem to be gloomy, especially knowing that this is a very, very tough schedule down the stretch, but it's not all that bad for the Texans. They need to win out and get one more loss out of the winner of the Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts battle next week, and that will most likely get the job done and win the division for the first time ever. However, on the darker side of things, a loss will make it virtually impossible to win the AFC South, as catching the Colts and Jags from two back, and perhaps three back, with just three to play is going to be a task too tough to tame. If Head Coach Gary Kubiak does end up getting fired at the end of this season, he can look back at his secondary and wonder why this unit was just so downright horrible this year. There really hasn't been enough consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks, as only really DE Mario Williams has any substantial numbers this year, and that has let QBs just sit in the pocket and pick the Texans apart. This unit ranks dead last in the league at 287.4 yards per game, and this is why this team has allowed at least 24 points to all but one foe this year. Offensively, we know that QB Matt Schaub, WR Andre Johnson, and RB Arian Foster are all potential Pro Bowlers this year, as all three are amongst the best at their trade in the game. Foster is arguably the most valuable player on this team, as he has 1,230 yards on the ground and 479 more as a receiver, and he has 15 total TDs on the season.

The Final Word: Houston is in a bad spot in this one, as the Ravens really can do anything that these please against this unit. The spirit of the fans at Reliant Stadium will be broken early, and when that happens and the crowd turns against Kubiak and company, things could get really, really ugly. Don't be shocked if this one turns into a romp and if Kubiak gets a pink slip shortly after the game for it.

Free Pro Football Picks: Baltimore -3
Prediction: Baltimore 31 – Houston 10

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November 11th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Atlanta Falcons will look to avoid a second straight NFL betting defeat at home against a divisional rival when they take on the Baltimore Ravens on MNF.

Matchup: Baltimore Ravens @ Atlanta Falcons
Date: Thursday, November 11th, 8:20 ET
Location: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA
Game Line: Atlanta -1
Over/Under 43.5

Ravens Notes: Last week, the Ravens finally got their defense rolling, holding the Miami Dolphins to just ten points after two straight bad games before their bye week. Baltimore is back atop the AFC North at 6-2 and is tied for the best record in football. With SS Ed Reed back in the fold, there is nothing that this defense can't do. Reed picked off three passes in his first two games back from an injury that cost him the first half of Baltimore's season. The Ravens are only a middle of the road offensive team statistically speaking, as the team ranks between No. 11 and No. 15 in virtually every major category on this side of the ball. However, it seems like just a matter of time before QB Joe Flacco, WR Anquan Boldin, RB Ray Rice, and the gang all shine at one time. Flacco is on pace to throw for nearly 4,000 yards this season, as he has 1,917 yards and 12 TDs on the season. He is hooking up with Boldin on a regular basis. Though the former Florida State Seminole only had two catches for 28 yards last week, he still has 40 grabs for 546 yards and five scores this year. Rice is the more interesting player for the Ravens, as he has 606 yards on the ground and 236 through the air. However, he only has two TDs. Last year, RB Willis McGahee was stealing touchdowns from him, but this year, McGahee only has four scores. DT Haloti Ngata is having himself a Pro Bowl type of season, as he has five sacks already on the campaign. DE Terrell Suggs has 4.5. On the injury front, the only man that is out of the lineup that will be back at some point over the course of the season is SS Tom Zbikowski, who lost his starting job two weeks ago when Reed came back anyway.

Falcons Notes: This is quite the interesting battle, especially for QB Matt Ryan. Ryan really isn't used to going against these ferocious types of defenses, and the last time he did, the Pittsburgh Steelers kept him out of the end zone for the entire game in a 15-9 defeat in the Steel City. However, "Matty Ice" is always a warrior at home, and he has led his team to a number of seemingly improbable results in the Georgia Dome during his day, particularly when the games are at their biggest. Ryan is having the best season of his career, having thrown for 1,949 yards and 13 TDs during the first half of the year. He is being helped out quite a bit by WR Roddy White, who is one of the top receivers in the NFL. White is in the Top 5 in the league in receiving yards with 796, and he has five scores as well. The ground game has been great as well, as RB Michael Turner and RB Jason Snelling have combined for 974 yards this year to go with seven combined TDs. The problem with last year's Atlanta team that narrowly missed the playoffs was that it really couldn't defend the pass, and that's exactly what is happening this year. The Falcons rank just No. 26 in the NFL against aerial assaults, and that was a problem that was supposed to be remedied by bringing in DB Dunta Robinson on the first day of free agency. Alas, Robinson has busted, and so has the Atlanta secondary.

The Final Word: You won't find a more evenly contested matchup than this one. Are the Ravens the best team in the NFL? We tend to believe so. But is there a team more difficult to beat on the road than the Falcons? That might be true as well. However, in spite of the fact that the Ravens are playing this game on just three days of rest and had to blow a day to travel, we think that they are just barely scratching the surface of their abilities, and if this is true, Atlanta and the rest of the NFL badly need to watch their backs. This could be a very dangerous team, especially if it can move to 7-2 on Thursday night as we are calling for in our NFL picks.

 Free NFL Football Picks:  Baltimore +1
 Prediction:  Baltimore 23 – Atlanta 20

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September 12th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Two of the hardest hitting teams in the NFL lock horns in Monday Night Football betting action, and here at Cappers Info, we have all of your free picks for Week 1. The game we are keying in on right now is the duel between the Baltimore Ravens and the New York Jets at New Meadowlands Stadium.

Baltimore Ravens (+2) @ New York Jets
Monday, September 13th
7:00 ET, New Meadowlands Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

Ravens Notes: Once upon a time, the Ravens only really had one receiver of any note in the form of WR Derrick Mason. This is a problem that has plagued this team for a number of years, but certainly won't be the case in 2010. The additions of WR TJ Houshmanzadeh and WR Anquan Boldin were absolutely key. QB Joe Flacco is going to be expected to throw for at least 4,000 yards this year. Don't forget about the rushing game for this team, either. RB Ray Rice and RB Willis McGahee are fantastic, and both are capable of running for 1,000 yards this year, especially if one or the other gets hurt. Is 6,500 yards out of the question for this offense? We certainly don't think so. If that's the case, the defense for the Ravens is going be all that much more fun to watch. Though there are a lot of injuries to deal with in Baltimore, LB Ray Lewis and SS Ed Reed are still floating around in purple and black, and they simply won't let this team slack off. There will be no excuse for injuries to DB Dominique Foxworth and LB Sergio Kindle.

Jets Notes: What an interesting offseason this one was for the Jets! New York added some real key pieces to the puzzle, especially in the secondary. DB Antonio Cromartie was picked up from the San Diego Chargers, while rookie DB Kyle Wilson was drafted out of Boise State. The men in green had to wonder whether both men were going to be forced to start this year or not. DB Darrelle Revis held out through the entire preseason and only finally reported to camp this week. Revis Island will be where one of the Ravens receivers finds themselves in this game. On the other side of the ball, the entire rushing game has changed. RB Thomas Jones and RB Leon Washington are both gone, and in their places will be future Hall of Famer RB LaDainian Tomlinson and RB Shonn Greene. Greene made a real name for himself last year for the Jets in the playoffs in place of the injured Washington, and many think he can carry the load this season for the J-E-T-S. Still, QB Mark Sanchez is going to have to pick up the slack at the QB position this year, as another season anywhere near 20 INTs is going to be unacceptable.

The Final Word: If there's a team that should be able to figure out the Rex Ryan defense, it should be the one that he used to coach. Are the Jets a talented enough team to win this game? Absolutely. However, this is a special, special Baltimore team this year, and we think its season starts with a smash mouth 'W'.

Prediction: Ravens 20 – Jets 13

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September 6th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor
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Here at Cappers Info, we are taking a weekly look at the teams that could be ones ripe to pull off some major upsets! Check out the potentially ugly dogs that could come up and bite you in the butt in you aren’t careful for the first week of pro football betting action!

Baltimore Ravens (+120 at Diamond Sportsbook) @ New York Jets, Monday, 7:00 ET: Simply put, the wrong team is favored in this game. QB Mark Sanchez might lose his lunch while staring the Baltimore defense in the face. On top of that, what team could better digest what HC Rex Ryan is doing for his defense than the team he used to coach. HC John Harbaugh has a major, major advantage in this game, particularly since he has had all offseason to really prepare for this one. The combination of WRs Anquan Boldin and Derrick Mason is going to be the best that the Ravens have probably ever had since moving from Cleveland. QB Joe Flacco could have a solid game, and a solid game against the Jets as is good as an amazing game against most other teams. The doors might be opening in primetime for the first time for the Jets at New Meadowlands Stadium, but that doesn’t mean that Baltimore is going to be a welcome guest. The Ravens should escape the Big Apple with a big, big win.

St. Louis Rams (+180 at Diamond Sportsbook) vs. Arizona Cardinals, Sunday 4:15 ET: This is going to be the biggest day in the life of QB Sam Bradford. Inevitably, jitters are going to be there for a man making his first career start, but this is the perfect situation to walk into. The former Sooner is going to be going against a defense that is suspect and trying to replace a lot of key pieces, and he is going to have an offense on the other side of the field that suddenly has a new leader in QB Derek Anderson. We tend to get the feeling that the Cardinals are in a state of flux right now. That being said, it could be a very, very long trip to the Gateway to the West from the desert, and the trip home could be made that much longer if the hosts pull this one off. The Edward Jones Dome hasn’t seen a lot of wins of late, but the Rams are hoping that this is the week that the franchise starts to turn around. This is a great price for St. Louis on Sunday.

Cleveland Browns (+125 at Diamond Sportsbook) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, 1:00 ET: We’re trying to figure out why the Bucs are favored in this game, especially if QB Josh Freeman really does have problems with his slightly fractured finger. The Browns looked alright in the preseason, save for one miserable game, under the new leadership of QB Jake Delhomme. Delhomme knows all about coming to Tampa Bay, as he used to make this trip every year while with the Carolina Panthers. RB Jerome Harrison might be able to run wild against a very, very inexperienced front seven for the Bucs. At best, this game is a 50-50 proposition, and we plan on taking full advantage of it.

Detroit Lions (+220 at Diamond Sportsbook) @ Chicago Bears, Sunday, 1:00 ET: We’ve already discussed one very young quarterback who could make a name for himself on Sunday, but at the exact same time, QB Matt Stafford might be able to do the same thing in the Windy City. The Bears went winless in the preseason and only scored 46 points in doing so. The hopes for QB Jay Cutler can’t be all that high, and even though he is going against a relatively porous defense, there might not be all that much required for Stafford to pull this upset. Look at the talent that Stafford has to work with now… RB Jahvid Best, WR Calvin Johnson, TE Brandon Pettigrew… Don’t kid yourself. The Lions are definitely live dogs on Sunday.

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September 6th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The NFL betting campaign is just about here! In order to get you revved up for the action beginning on Thursday night, we are making our playoff picks here at Cappers Info! (Odds to make the playoffs courtesy of BetUS Sportsbook)


Complete List of Odds to Make the Playoffs Can be Found Below

 

In the AFC, we reasonably probably have three teams fighting for two playoff berths in the AFC East and two teams fighting for one playoff berth in the AFC South unless someone can come out of nowhere in the AFC North or West. Simply put, the San Diego Chargers (-700 at BetUS Sportsbook) and the Baltimore Ravens (-200 at BetUS Sportsbook) are getting into the playoffs as division winners. Both of these teams are likely head and shoulders above the rest of their competition in their respective divisions, and neither should face a challenge. Yes, this means that we feel as though the Steelers, Bengals, and Browns are pretty much out of luck in 2010.

The three teams in the AFC East to watch are the New England Patriots (-175 at BetUS Sportsbook) and the Miami Dolphins (+140 at BetUS Sportsbook). We realize that we are conventionally leaving out the Jets from this equation, but we just don't have all that much confidence in QB Mark Sanchez and we tend to believe that someone is going to figure out how to beat this defense at some point. The Pats came out of the blocks in the preseason incredibly angry. We know that their offense is amazing, as the starters just continued to run up and down the field on just about everyone that they ran into. The questions are on defense. Still, we can't picture a Bill Belichick team getting left home from the postseason for the second time in three years. Miami is a trendy sleeper this year and for good reason. If RBs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams can stay healthy, the Fins are clearly better than last year's team that narrowly missed out on the postseason. HC Tony Sparano is a great manager on the sidelines, and he is going to get Miami back to the playoffs once again this year. 

Reasonably speaking, the Indianapolis Colts (-250 at BetUS Sportsbook) are going to get to the playoffs. The only way that doesn't happen is if something really happens to QB Peyton Manning that keeps him out of the playoffs for a lengthy period of time. That being said, the Houston Texans (+120 at BetUS Sportsbook) should get into the dance this year. This is a make or break season for a franchise that was just on the verge of making special things happen last year. They won their final four games of last season to be knocking at the postseason door, and this is the year that QB Matt Schaub and company kick it down. It's going to be a year of second guessing for the Titans, who might win ten games but fall just short of the playoffs.

In the NFC, things are significantly harder to decipher. The East probably has three contenders this year, and we tend to believe that two of the three are going to find their way to the playoffs. The Dallas Cowboys (-200 at BetUS Sportsbook) might be the best team in the NFC if QB Tony Romo keeps his head on straight. We tend to like what we have seen so far from the New York Giants (+100 at BetUS Sportsbook) as well. At some point, QB Eli Manning is going to put this team on his back and become one of those truly elite competitors at this level. The Giants should be fine. This leaves the Eagles on the outside looking in for the first time in seemingly forever. 

In the North, we are convinced that the Green Bay Packers (-200 at BetUS Sportsbook) are even better than they were last season when they went 11-5 and ended up as a Wild Card out of this division. The West and South we are handing to the San Francisco 49ers (-175 at BetUS Sportsbook) and the defending champions, the New Orleans Saints (-250 at BetUS Sportsbook) respectively.

This basically leaves us with the Eagles (whom we already deemed out of the mix with their new QB Kevin Kolb taking some lumps this year), Vikings, and Falcons fighting for one playoff spot. Minnesota might have QB Brett Favre back, but is there really any hope for him limiting his interceptions this year? Besides, that 40 year old body is going to take a huge beating once again in front of an offensive line that is starting to have some question marks, and we aren't so sure that even Favre, the consummate ironman in this league, is going to figure out how to make it through this season. That leaves the Atlanta Falcons (-120 at BetUS Sportsbook) to finish up the postseason roster. RB Michael Turner has to be in for a better season this year than he had a year ago, as 1,000 yards should be the bare minimum for this fantastic back. QB Matt Ryan is only getting better as well. There should be four slam dunk wins in the division against Carolina and Tampa Bay. The only question mark is whether the defense is good enough to put games away or not. The addition of DB Dunta Robinson should really help. We love the red and black getting back to the postseason.


Odds To Make the NFL Playoffs @ BetUS Sportsbook… Get a 100% Deposit Bonus Just By Clicking Here

Pittsburgh Steelers -120 
New England Patriots -175
Dallas Cowboys -200
New York Giants +100
Indianapolis Colts -250
San Diego Chargers -700
Baltimore Ravens -200
Philadelphia Eagles -110
New Orleans Saints -250
Minnesota Vikings -200
Carolina Panthers +300
Tennessee Titans +150
Atlanta Falcons -120
Green Bay Packers -200
Denver Broncos +300
Jacksonville Jaguars +325
Arizona Cardinals +165
New York Jets -175
Miami Dolphins +140
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +550
Buffalo Bills +650
Chicago Bears +175
Washington Redskins +175
Seattle Seahawks +225
Houston Texans +120
San Francisco 49ers -175
Cleveland Browns +600
Oakland Raiders +350
Cincinnati Bengals +160
St. Louis Rams +650
Detroit Lions +600
Kansas City Chiefs +375

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August 12th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The NFL preseason odds are ready and raring to go, and on Thursday night, ESPN will have a duel for NFL betting fans to dig into when the Baltimore Ravens play host to the Carolina Panthers.

Carolina Panthers @ Baltimore Ravens (-3.5)
Thursday, August 12th
8:00 ET, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD

Carolina Notes: The Panthers are going to have a heated battle for the starting quarterback position to sort out over the next month before the regular season gets underway. It seems as though Matt Moore is going to have the inside edge, as he finished the regular season last year as the signal caller for the team. Expect both Hunter Cantwell and Tony Pike to get reps late in the game, but the other serious contender for the starting job is Jimmy Clausen, a rookie out of Notre Dame. Regardless of who the man is taking snaps, working out with the wide receivers could be a tough task. Names like Dwayne Jarrett, Armanti Edwards, and Brandon LaFell are going to get plenty of work, but without Steve Smith in the lineup, there are going to be some inevitable miscommunications. With both RBs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart already knowing their roles as split running backs, there will probably be plenty of carries for reserves Mike Goodson and Tyrell Sutton. The Panthers also have a major problem to address at defensive end, where DE Julius Peppers has vacated his role through free agency. Needless to say, HC John Fox has plenty to try to work out before this season gets underway, and the end result could be a long preseason of going through growing pains with a newly shaped roster.

Baltimore Notes: The Ravens should be raring and ready to go this week, though. Starting QB Joe Flacco has looked sharper and sharper every time he touches the football, and this preseason should be no exception. The former Delaware Blue Hen will also love the fact that he has a bunch of new targets to throw to, the biggest of which is WR Anquan Boldin. Backup QB Marc Bulger is trying to redefine his career, and he'll be doing so as the man playing behind Flacco. Third string QB Troy Smith has looked fantastic in preseasons of past, and he is going to try his best to prove his value as a potential starter should anything happen to Flacco. An experienced starting offensive line shouldn't see too many reps this week, nor will most of the skill players on offense. Instead, expect to see plenty of guys like WRs Donte' Stallworth and Mark Clayton, as well as rookie TEs Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson. On the other side of the ball, there are plenty of new faces to try to fit into place. This is one of the deepest defensive lines in the game, as Cory Redding, Trevor Pryce, Kelly Gregg, Haloti Ngata, and Terrence Cody are all massive space eaters. That is going to open up a ton of room for a great linebacking corps which also legitimately goes two deep at each position. The questions are going to come in the secondary. At the safety spot, it seems as though Dawan Landry and Tom Zbikowski are fighting for playing time, while the cornerback spots are going to be wide open after the season ending injury to DB Dominique Foxworth.

The Final Word: Baltimore should have the Panthers outdone in basically every facet of this game on Thursday. The Ravens have the strong starting squad and are much more capable of going two to three deep at a position to still find success. Carolina has plenty of question marks, and we think those question marks are going to be left answerless in the first preseason game. Things will get better for pro football betting fans of the Panthers as the season wears on, but this day will belong to the black and purple. Quoth the Ravens, never allow a score.

Prediction: Baltimore 20 – Carolina 6

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August 10th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The NFL betting campaign is getting ready to get underway, and here at Cappers Info, we have five teams on the slate to watch out for that could be tremendous teams to back the 'over' on the season win totals!

Baltimore Ravens over 10 (-125 @ Brobury Sports):  The Ravens could be the class of, not just the AFC North, but the entire NFL as well. The addition of WR Anquan Boldin gives QB Joe Flacco a second huge weapon at his disposal to go with WR Derrick Mason. Two of the top receiving tight ends in this year's NFL Draft were also acquired in the forms of Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson. With TE Todd Heap reaching the latter stages in his career, these two could both step in and make an impact with a ton of reps. As always, RBs Ray Rice and Willis McGahee are going to make up a feared rushing attack. The idea of this offense racking up 6,500 yards of production on the season is totally believable. On the other side of the pigskin, DT Terrence Cody is going to pair with DT Haloti Ngata to make one of the biggest tackle duos in the game. LB Sergio Kindle should make a nice complement for LB Ray Lewis in the middle of the 3-4 defense. Parlay that with a schedule that features almost certainly given wins against Cleveland (twice), Buffalo, Miami, and Tampa Bay, and the idea of reaching at least 11 wins seems like a given, especially if the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to end up having a down year.

Detroit Lions over 5 (-135 @ Brobury Sports):  Call us crazy, but the Lions are going to have a decent chance to compete in the NFC North this year. The weapons on offense for Detroit are starting to resemble that of the best teams in the league. QB Matthew Stafford took a huge jump last year, and many think he could be amongst the elite signal callers in the NFC and soon. HC Jim Schwartz gave him a new weapon on offense with his second first round draft selection of RB Jahvid Best, who could be good for 70 yards every time he touches the football. Yes, the defense in the Motor City is still a mess, but DT Ndamukong Suh can only help out. The NFC North could get a lot more interesting if QB Brett Favre doesn't return to the Vikings, so there really could be a couple divisional wins this year. There are very winnable games against St. Louis, Washington, Buffalo, and Tampa Bay well. Seeing this squad get to seven wins could be a real possibility with an upset or two. We don't see any way that the Lions are stuck on just four as long as they stay relatively healthy.

New England Patriots over 9.5 (-150 @ Brobury Sports):  The Brady Bunch is back and should be efficient once again this season. We tend to think that New England is getting disrespected as the second choice in the AFC East, and though divisional play will be tough, there are certainly plenty of reasons to think that there will be at least ten wins in the future of the Pats this year. QB Tom Brady is still one of the best in the biz, and until further notice, WR Randy Moss is still one of the best receivers this game has to offer. No, the defense for New England isn't as strong as it once was, but that doesn't mean that this is an incompetent unit. Especially if WR Wes Welker is really healthy going into the regular season, this win total should be a given. There should be a bare minimum of four wins in divisional play, and aside from that, games against teams like Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, and potentially Minnesota should be givens as well. We tend to believe that the mastermind known as Bill Belichick is going to find a way to scratch two more wins together somewhere on this schedule.

Oakland Raiders over 6 (-150 @ Brobury Sports):  Raider Nation is about to get a real shot in the arm. Oakland plays in the most atrocious division known to man in the AFC West, making for four very winnable games against Denver and Kansas City. There is a new signal caller in town in the form of QB Jason Campbell, and though he will be playing for his sixth different offensive coordinator in as many years of football, he is a dramatic upgrade on the garbage that the silver and black have had in recent years. Owner Al Davis also finally made a fantastic move on draft day, picking up LB Rolando McClain from Alabama to be the new captain of his defense. McClain is a tackling machine and has a high motor, and those traits will sit well in the Black Hole. A third place schedule sets up a lot of great potential matchups, and four games against the putrid NFC West foes could set up a ton of victories as well. No, playing the AFC South won't be fun, but we tend to believe that even an 0-4 showing can still yield seven wins on the season. The Raiders certainly aren't going backwards from last year's 5-11 record, so the worst case scenario should be a push.

San Diego Chargers over 11 wins (+140 @ Brobury Sports):  We'd feel a bit better about laying some chalk at 10.5 wins, but getting this type of price on 11, knowing that an 11-5 mark is a push is just fine with us. Let's get one thing straight first: The Chargers aren't as good this year as they were last year. You don't lose a future Hall of Famer in RB LaDainian Tomlinson and one of the best corners in the game in Antonio Cromartie without taking a step back in life. However, assuming that RB Ryan Mathews can step in and carry the load as a feature back, the rest of this offense is downright frightening. QB Philip Rivers, TE Antonio Gates, and WR Vincent Jackson make up one of the most lethal passing games in the league. On defense, it was an off year for LB Shawne Merriman in 2009, and he might be back with vengeance this year, especially knowing that many are doubting the abilities of this defense. Finally, just like with Oakland, look at this schedule! Anything less than a 6-0 mark in division is going to be a brutal disappointment, and a 4-1 record in games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and the NFC West is probable as well. Truth be told, anything less than a 13-3 record with this schedule should leave HC Norv Turner scratching his head. The Bolts aren't going to win the Super Bowl, but they are going to have one of the best records in the league when the regular season is finished.

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