Week One Picks, Part One — Season Opener
It’s kind of shocking, when you consider that I count down the days starting 12 second after the Super Bowl ends, the way the first game of every NFL season somehow manages to sneak up on me. But it does. And it did. Which is why I haven’t finished my picks for week one. (Even though, hell, I don’t know what I’m talking about in week one anyhow.) So here’s a start. And I’ll have to get to the rest later.
Baltimore (+7.5) at Denver
I’m sure sports fans in Baltimore are just beside themselves with delight at the fact that the Ravens are starting their title defense on the road so that the Orioles can continue their ongoing slide out of wild card contention at home. Even better, they get to see their Ravens travel to a city where road teams almost never win. Still, I’m not sure all hope is lost for Baltimore. No one’s talking much about it, but the Broncos aren’t as solid on the offensive line as Peyton Manning would probably like them to be. And that’s not a great position to be in with whoops-he’s-not-a-Bronco-anymore Elvis Dumervil, Terrell Suggs, Haloti Ngata and Chris Canty coming to town. I expect to see Manning get chased around more than a bit tonight — and to make some mistakes and get that frustrated Peyton expression as a result. I also expect the Ravens offense to be able to get some things done against an undermanned Denver D. Does that mean I think the Ravens pull off the upset? I don’t know. Opening game in Denver; that’s a tough row to hoe. I won’t be shocked if Baltimore comes out with a win, but I’m expecting to see Denver pull out a tight one. Let’s say Broncos by a field goal.
