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Baltimore Ravens Betting Odds – NFL Football Futures

Quick article and 2011 nfl prediction by Ian Van Den Hurk detailing the Baltimore Ravens 2011 Season win total odds for over under nfl betting futures…

Baltimore Ravens Betting Odds – NFL Football Futures

The Baltimore Ravens have been on the cusp of glory for a few years now. Is this the season everything gels and Baltimore claims its first Super Bowl in a decade?

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A look at the numbers:

Last season – 12-4
Projection this season – 12-4
Ravens Super Bowl XLVI Odds – +1200
Ravens 2011-12 AFC Odds – +550
2011 Ravens AFC North Lines – +120

The Ravens are led by an up-and-coming offense and a tough, veteran defense. Last year, the defense ranked third in the NFL with 16.9 points per game allowed. Even though it’s a unit with tons of experience, the key to success this season might be a rookie.

Baltimore was strafed through the air last season, and cornerback received much of the blame. The Ravens took a big step to solving the problem by drafting controversial corner Jimmy Smith. The Colorado star is incredibly talented but dropped thanks to character issues. Still, he is widely regarded as the best press corner in the draft, so if Smith can keep his head on straight, he could be a huge addition for the club.

But as much as the secondary suffered blame for holding back the Ravens’ defense, it isn’t the only aspect of pass defense that didn’t get the job done. Baltimore managed a franchise-worst 27 sacks last season, something that desperately needs to improve in 2011. So far, there hasn’t been a major move to fix the situation. Sergio Kindle, a 2010 second-round pick who missed all of last season with a head injury, is cleared for action this season, but counting on him to rush the passer is risky at best. Baltimore may have to shop around for a pass-rushing specialist.

But despite some shortcomings, there is plenty of veteran talent around to ensure the defense is at least solid. Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Kelly Gregg, Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata are simply too could to let the “D” slip very far. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

On the other side of the football,Baltimore is waiting for a major breakout season from Joe Flacco and company. Flacco (25 touchdowns, 10 interceptions last season) has steadily improved throughout his three seasons in the NFL, but it hasn’t translated to offensive dominance yet. To be fair, Flacco hasn’t had many weapons to work with, and watching the Ravens’ playoff loss to Pittsburgh last season was absolutely painful—the receiving corps simply couldn’t get open, and even when Flacco somehow threaded the ball to them, they dropped it anyway.

Familiar faces like wide receiver Derrick Mason and tight end Todd Heap are gone. Anquan Boldin will once again be the No. 1 receiver, but he was disappointing after a sluggish start, as he’s clearly lost a step. The club is hoping there’s some more room to work with thanks to the addition of Torrey Smith. The second-round wideout is an absolute burner—something Baltimore desperately lacked last year—but counting on rookie receivers is a tremendous gamble.

Ray Rice could be in line for a huge year, as he’s playing for a new contract. The diminutive running back has averaged 119.3 yards from scrimmage over the past two years, second only to Tennessee’s Chris Johnson. Rice has carried the ball 561 times in that span, though, and he’s coming off major knee surgery.

HOW IT STANDS NOW:

The Ravens are absolutely loaded. If they’re going to make the leap to the next level, they’ll need a few things to come through for them, like the Smith rookies making valuable contributions. Even if they don’t, though, Flacco and Company should take another step forward—meaning Baltimore will once again be gunning for an AFC North title.

Season Win total Prediction: 12-4

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By Ian Van Den Hurk

Ian Van Den Hurk has covered amateur and pro sports for years, including a successful run handicapping anything from football to mixed martial arts. Looking for more sports betting tips and expert sports handicapping articles from Ian V? We've got your back...