Football Betting

Ravens make Terrell Suggs the new defensive leader

The Baltimore Ravens betting faithful can take a sight of relief. Their linebacking corps will be anchored by one of the best in the business for the next six-years. Terrell Suggs, who recorded 68 tackles, 8 sacks and 2 picks last season has signed on for a $63 million contract over the next six years to stay in the purple and black attack.

The good news for Suggs is that the contract is front-loaded, banking him $33.1 million in signing bonuses and salary for the next two seasons. As a tenth overall pick in 2003, Suggs has played his entire career as a Baltimore Raven, winning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2003, and being honored in the Pro Bowl three times, including last season. Financial security is his. Now it’s time to focus on a championship ring.

Baltimore has been circulated by offensive question marks throughout the last few years, but all those came to a screeching halt with the emergence of Joe Flacco and running-back Le’Ron McClain and the addition of former Buffalo Bill, Willis McGahee. The Ravens ranked eleventh in the league with 24.1 points per game, and ranked in the top-5 for rushing with 148.5 yards gained on the ground. With his only reliable receiving asset as Derrick Mason (now retired), Flacco steadied the passing game to the tune of 175.5 passing yards per game.

But as is always the story in Baltimore, the team is built on defense. That defense begins and ends with two men – Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs. The former player in that duo, Lewis, is getting on in years and game tape from last season proved that he lost a considerable step in his speed, and has missed a fair number of tackles he would’ve surely made had he been younger. Finding an heir apparent to Lewis was always a sub-priority for the Ravens, and they know who that man is now for sure. His name is Terrell Suggs.

The Ravens were the second-best overall defense in the league last year, allowing just 261.1 total yards against. They were third in points allowed (15.3 points per game) and rushing yards given (81.4 per game) and held passing offenses to just 179.7 passing yards per game. The only defense that was consistently better than Baltimore was their division rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Ravens are a reasonable longshot to win the AFC Championship at +1000. The main problem for this team is that their offense has no viable number-one receiver. It’s safe to say, however, that their defense will keep them competitive. The main problem for them is getting past the Steelers, who the Ravens lost to three times last season, including in the AFC Championship last year. This year they will also have to contend with the New England Patriots.

While the immediate question mark for the Ravens is about their receiving corps the defense is in good hands with Suggs leading the new generation of the purple and black attack. When you’re talking about a guy who can lead, make his tackles, play deep cover-2 and sack a quarterback like a pile of spuds, then $33.1 million over the next two years is a bargain…just like the Ravens in our AFC Championship odds.

Steelers vs Ravens Pointspread Free Pick

Smashmouth football on tap

• WHO: Pittsburgh Steelers vs Baltimore Ravens (-1)
• WHAT: NFL betting
• WHEN: Sunday, December 14 at 4:15 p.m. ET
• WHERE: M&T Bank Field in Baltimore, Maryland
• KEY STATS: Four of the last five meetings have gone OVER the total; Ravens are 2-0 straight up and against the spread in last two meetings
• PICK: Steelers

Steelers vs Ravens betting is going to be fairly exciting this weekend, as the two teams battle for first place in the AFC North. The Steelers are one game ahead in the standings but the Ravens have the opportunity to close that gap with a home win on Sunday.

Sportsbook odds have the Ravens as a slight favorite after they put on a defensive show against Washington on Sunday night. Those who bet online have watched the Ravens go from a team that wasn’t expected to make the playoffs to a team that is among the contenders for the Super Bowl.

Sunday’s matchup should be a physical, intense battle between two of the best defenses in the NFL. The Steelers defense ranks first overall and scoring defense while the Ravens defense ranks second in total defense and third in scoring.

The Steelers have faced one of the toughest schedules in NFL history and have persevered through many injuries. Online sports betting sharps know there are very few teams that could be 10-3 after playing a similar schedule.

Their strength of schedule so far has been .516 and they still have an upcoming contest with the Tennessee Titans, who have the best record in the NFL. Still, the Steelers vs Ravens line favors Baltimore by one.

The Ravens might have some injury concerns heading in to this contest, which could hamper them offensively. Part of why their offense has been so successful, and part of why rookie quarterback Joe Flacco has been effective in his rookie season, has been the Ravens’ fourth-ranked running game.

But online betting handicappers need to monitor the injury reports this week as Willis McGahee left Sunday’s contest with a stinger while Ray Rice also left the game with a lower leg injury, which could leave the Ravens offense shorthanded.

On the season, the Ravens are averaging 144.0 rushing yards per game but have averaged just 102.3 rushing yards per game in their four losses.

There will be two key breaking points in this upcoming contest: the Ravens' running game and the Steelers' pass protection.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been sacked 41 times this season, which are the fifth most sacks allowed by any team in the NFL. Meanwhile, the Ravens have notched 28 sacks, fifth-most in the AFC.

The Steelers have faced a rugged schedule and have overcome plenty of adversity this season. More importantly, online sports betting handicappers know they’ve performed better on the road than they have at home. The Steelers are 5-1 on the road and should be able to march on to 6-1 away from Heinz Field as long as they can manage the Ravens defensive pressure.

STAN’S PICK: Look for the Steelers to shutdown the Ravens running game and bait rookie quarterback Joe Flacco into some mistakes. Bet the Steelers to win and cover in this contest.

Raven vs Giants PointSpread Trends and Pick

The Baltimore Ravens and New York Giants, two of the better defensive teams in the NFL, battle it out in what could be a high-scoring affair. Okay, maybe not. The Baltimore Ravens are winning like they always have - - because of their defense. Sports betting fans have to realize that before they can correctly assess how good this Ravens’ team is. Their straight-up record is fantastic at 6 and 3 but their record against the BetUS online betting spread is even better at 7 and 2. That against the spread record makes the Baltimore Ravens one of the best online betting options in the entire NFL.

NFL Picks Pro is hitting 66% (documented!) for the NFL Season

The New York Giants are just as good against the online wagering spread as the Baltimore Ravens. The Giants figure to keep their record against the spread going as they have a much better offense and are playing with a certain type of confidence rarely seen in teams after a Super Bowl victory. The G-Men are one of the top teams in the league for NFL betting fans.

Here are the BetUS Sportsbook betting odds for this game:

Kick-off: 11/16/2008 1:00 pm est.

• Baltimore Ravens + 7 - 110 + 250 O 42 - 110
• New York Giants - 7 - 110 - 300 U 42 - 110

Here are a few online wagering betting trends that might help us find a good online bet in this game:

• The Baltimore Ravens are 4 and 0 against the spread in their last 4 games on grass.
• The Over is 4 and 0 in the Ravens last 4 games overall.
• The New York Giants are 10 and 1 against the spread versus a team with a winning record.
• The Over is 6 and 1 in the New York Giants last 7 games following a straight-up win.

As well as the Ravens have been playing, taking on the Giants in New York is something that they haven’t done yet this season.

The Giants are the best team in the NFL. Yes, they have a loss on their record while the Tennessee Titans do not, but the Giants are easily the best.

Because of that, I’m going with the Giants in this game. That’s the online bet that I will be making. On the New York Giants to cover the 7 point spread versus the Baltimore Ravens.

Baltimore Ravens vs New York Giants Point Spread Trends

The Baltimore Ravens and the New York Giants will both be gunning for a victory on Sunday when they meet at Giants Stadium.Oddsmakers currently have the Giants listed as 6-point favorites versus the Ravens, while the game's total is sitting at 42.The Ravens defeated Houston 41-13 as a 2.5-point underdog in Week 10. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (41).

Willis McGahee rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries for Baltimore, while Joe Flacco passed for 185 yards with two touchdowns in the win.

The Giants defeated Philadelphia 36-31 as a 3-point underdog in Week 10. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (43).

Brandon Jacobs rushed for 126 yards with a pair of touchdowns on 22 carries for the Giants, while Eli Manning passed for 191 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in the win.

Current streak:

• Baltimore has won 4 straight games.
• New York has won 4 straight games.
• Team records:
• Baltimore: 6-3 SU, 7-2 ATS
• New York: 8-1 SU, 7-2 ATS
• Baltimore most recently:
• When playing in November are 5-5
• When playing on turf are 4-6
• After being outgained are 3-7
• When playing outside the division are 3-7

New York most recently:

• When playing in November are 4-6
• When playing on turf are 8-2
• After outgaining opponent are 8-2
• When playing outside the division are 8-2

A few trends to consider:

• Baltimore is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games when playing NY Giants
• Baltimore is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
• The total has gone OVER in 4 of Baltimore's last 5 games
• Baltimore is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
• NY Giants are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games at home
• NY Giants are 12-1 SU in their last 13 games
• NY Giants are 13-2 ATS in their last 15 games
• NY Giants are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games at home

Next up:
Baltimore home to Philadelphia, Sunday, November 23
NY Giants at Arizona, Sunday, November 23

Football Betting: The NFL Daily

NFL Week 5 is less than 48 hours away and now is the time to start getting all your plays in order.  Friday starts off early with a few opinions and ends up around noon with the best plays of the weekend.  (6-2 ATS).

By Anthony Oxley                                    

Can +17 Cleveland Cover At New England?

This is a very good question, considering how impressively New England has looked after their first four. People look at the Tom Brady, Randy Moss and the rest of the Patriots offense for reasons for the 4-0 start, but the defense has been even more impressive. Although New England is positioned 5th overall in passing and 4th overall in rushing to rank #2 in the NFL in total offense, they are ranked 4th in passing defense and 3rd in rushing defense to, yes, be ranked #1 in total defense after Week 4.

 

You can see by these numbers alone that they have no weakness. But don't sleep on these Cleveland Browns. After getting lambasted by Pittsburgh 34-7 with QB Charlie Frye at the helm, they turned to Derek Anderson and then beat the Bengals, barely lost to an improved Raiders squad, and then easily handled a good Baltimore defense last week. Their offense comes in ranked #6 overall, but the defense ranks near the bottom in nearly every category. The game could turn ugly, no doubt, and miracles probably won't help them win, but they ARE capable of covering +17 if the defense plays better.

Check The Total On Baltimore At San Francisco

 

With Alex Smith gone for about a month with a shoulder separation, many may think that the 49ers are in trouble, but the fact is that Smith was not playing very well this season. In the first three games (he was 0-1 before getting hurt last week) he 43 of 83 for 461 yards and one touchdown pass. That is a 52% completion rate and an average of 154 yards passing. Those numbers contribute to the 49ers presently being dead last in the league in total offense. Now 35-year-old Trent Dilfer takes the reins, and he has never lit up the scoreboard.

The Ravens counter with 34-year-old Steve McNair, who has passed for two touchdowns in three games played. Baltimore's strength is their 4th-ranked run defense, which looks to nullify the obvious strength of the 49ers offense. What am I leading at? The total here presently stands at 35 ½… I'll be surprised if the total reaches half that. I'm thinking a 6-3 or 9-6 final score in this baby.

The NFL's Greatest Rivalry Continues???

With all due respect to Dallas/Washington, the Chicago Bears versus the Green Bay Packers may be the best NFL rivalry ever, and it happens once again this Sunday night. Or does it? My oh my… a Chicago Bears team that was in the Super Bowl just eight months ago due to incredible defense, had nothing of the sort at all… not at all… in the fourth quarter last week against the Detroit Lions. With three starters in the secondary out with injuries for the game and the Lions down 13-3 entering the fourth, the Lions put up 34 points in the fourth quarter, which happens to be the most scored in the final quarter by any team… ever. Also happened to be the most Chicago has allowed in any quarter… forget the last.

And now they face Brett Favre, who in his 17th season is actually on pace to have his best season ever… which says something for a player who already has a bust in Canton waiting for him. If the Bears do not get their injured starters back, Favre and Co. will eat the -3 spread up in a hurry.

NFL Betting – Home Underdogs Week 5

By Dave Golokhov                                    

Those home dogs barked pretty loudly last week going 6-3 but the key was that six dogs that covered, also won outright.

There are four home dogs this week – let’s take a look at their prospects – complete with up to date NFL odds in Week 5 of NFL football betting action.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Kansas City Chiefs (+2)

Going to Arrowhead stadium is never an easy task, but I’m not buying into the Kansas City Chiefs quite yet. The San Diego Chargers have problems, and the Chiefs took advantage last week, but I can’t wash the memory of the Minnesota Vikings – with third-string quarterback Kelly Holcomb – nearly winning at Arrowhead two weeks ago.

The Jaguars are off a bye and their run defense has been outstanding after getting smoked in Week One. Their weakness on defense is the safety position and Chiefs’ quarterback Damon Huard doesn’t have the arm strength to exploit that. If the Chiefs are forced to be one-dimensional, they will have a tough-time winning.

Pick: Jaguars -2

Arizona Cardinals @ St. Louis Rams (+3.5)

Talk about an ugly line. The Cardinals are fresh off an impressive home win and now all of the sudden with Kurt Warner back into the mix, there is a bit of a revenge factor going. The Cardinals are not a loser anymore; they are physical and are a tough out every week.

The Rams, on the other hand, are one of the softest teams in the league on the line of scrimmage and have been pillaged every week. Even so, for some sick reason I like the Rams at home to cover the number. I know, I’m sick…

Pick: Rams +3.5

Baltimore Ravens @ San Francisco 49ers (+3.5)

TheSan Francisco 49ers were supposed to be a breakout team. Fast forward to a very shaky 2-2 start along with the loss of starting quarterback Alex Smith for a prolonged period of time. With a combination like that you can kiss any playoff hopes goodbye.

Trent Dilfer takes the lead role and if last week is any indication, he’s in some trouble for this week. The good news is that the coaching staff will have a full week to prepare a better game-plan for him instead of just having it thrown up them like last week.

I question the 49ers’ game planning even before Smith went down. They’ve added some weapons (Darrell Jackson and Ashley Lelie) while tight end Vernon Davis and running back Frank Gore were supposed to take a step forward. Those paper moves have not transpired into on-field success. As a matter of fact, the offense looks even worse than last year. The Ravens defense gets a softball this week – even on the road they should take care of business.

Pick: Ravens (-3.5) 

Dallas Cowboys @ Buffalo Bills (+11.5)

The Cowboys have been the NFC’s top teams this year but count me out as one of their backers for now. For starters, no team in the NFC has racked up more penalty yards than the Cowboys. Secondly, I’m not sold on their rushing defense.

The Buffalo Bills should get a few of their injured players back this week and have actually looked respectable on offense with rookie quarterback Trent Edwards. The Cowboys are a dome team traveling outdoors and I just wouldn’t lay such a big number with a team run by a players’coach. Wade Phillips gave his team two days off this week and if they don’t come to play from the point of kickoff, they might have trouble covering such a big number on the road.

Pick: Bills +11.5

Watch the developments carefully out of both camps this week before placing your wagers on these football match-ups.

Baltimore Ravens Profile

Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Stadium :M&T Bank Stadium
Coach: Brian Billick
NFL Championships: Super Bowl XXXV (2000)

 

Sep 30 2007  1:00PMSpreadMoneylineOver/Under

 

Baltimore Ravens-4.5-11039.5-110

 

Cleveland Browns4.5-11039.5-110

 

Favorite:Baltimore RavensBet Now

Ravens Team Info :The Baltimore Ravens franchise was born out of controversy in 1996, when owner Art Modell decided he wanted to move the franchise he owned, the Cleveland Browns, to Baltimore. Representatives from Cleveland and the NFL head office reached an agreement that team would move to Baltimore, but that the Browns’ name, colors, and franchise history would remain in Cleveland. This meant the team needed a new name, and a fan contest drawing 33,288 votes selected the name “Ravens”.

In the team’s inaugural season, quarterback Vinny Testaverde threw 33 touchdown passes, but the team still ended up 4-12. Things got better quickly for the Ravens when Brian Billick was hired as head coach in 1998. Seasoned veterans like Ron Woodson were paired with emerging talents like Peter Boulware and Ray Lewis to create an awesome defense. The Baltimore defense only surrendered 165 points and 970 yards rushing in the 2000 regular season paving the way to a decisive 34-7 Super Bowl XXXV victory against the Giants in 2000.

Last year’s success - a 13-3 season, an NFC North title that was supposed to have been handed to the rival Bengals and the winning ways of new warrior QB Steve McNair – rested almost entirely on the defense keeping the Ravens close enough in most games that one good drive, led by McNair, was all it took to win most games.

When the playoffs came and the Ravens had a home game hosting the eventual champion Colts, the weakness that was their anemic offense did not get that one, good scoring drive. The lack of a running game to back up McNair’s not-overly-stellar passing led to the Ravens scoring just six points, the waiving of long-time back Jamal Lewis, and the signing of Willis McGahee.

Apparently Ray Lewis, the leader of the terrorizing defense, looks as if he is in as good of shape as in his rookie season. If that is true, at age 32, Lewis might find himself on a very good team which, for the first time in his career, may have a balanced offense to complement the other side of the ball.

Official Team Stats: BaltimoreRavens.com