AFC Championship: Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots (-7 ½)
Sports Betting Online Overview
As soon as the Baltimore Ravens finished off the Houston Texans, the debates about how this AFC Championship game between the Ravens and the New England Patriots began in earnest. Yes, the New England Patriots currently have a 14-3 record including the one playoff win over the Broncos. But who have the Patriots beaten this season? The only playoff team that the Patriots beat was the Denver Broncos, and the Broncos did not exactly run away with the AFC West. Two of the Patriots’ losses were to playoff teams in the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants. The pay head sports experts have not really seen the Patriots face a challenge yet this season.
The Baltimore Ravens swept the Pittsburgh Steelers this year and faced a schedule of playoff contenders on its way to the playoffs. This is not an attempt to take anything away from the success that the Patriots have enjoyed. But when people talk about Joe Flacco being ineffective and the Ravens’ offense being suspect, you have to remember that the Ravens have beat some pretty good defenses this season. The Patriots have the worst defense in the league and that will matter a great deal when it comes time to kick the ball off in the AFC Championship.
New England Patriots
The Patriots’ defense is ranked 32nd in the NFL. That bears repeating because it will be the worst defense that the Ravens have faced. The Patriots have all kinds of problems getting pressure on the quarterback and covering the deep pass. The best defense that the Patriots have is quarterback Tom Brady holding on to the ball and preventing the opposing offense from getting on to the field. The price per head sports experts have noticed that the Patriots completely abandoned the running game weeks ago. The one advantage that the Patriots may have in this game is that the Ravens will not expect the running game. Surprise may be the only effective tactic that the Patriots can offer.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens’ offense has now beaten the first and second ranked defenses in the NFL. It never looks pretty when the Ravens win a football game, but then Terrell Suggs points out that Baltimore is not a pretty team. A wagerweb review of the Baltimore offense shows a unit that has been able to score against the best defenses that the NFL has to offer. It will be interesting to see how the Baltimore offense does against the worst defense in the league.
The Bottom Line
MMA blog writers understand the importance of a good defense, and so do football writers. This game features one of the best defenses in the league in Baltimore up against the absolute worst defense in the league in New England. If offense sells tickets but defense wins championships, then it is pretty easy to predict where the result of this game is headed.
Pick: Baltimore Ravens New England Patriots Game is Ravens Against the Spread