Week #1: Bengals vs Ravens Prediction
It is opening week and the Cincinnati Bengals are heading to Maryland to take on AFC North rival the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Cappers Picks provides free NFL handicapping tips all season long.
No easing into it for these team who will begin battling for supremacy in the AFC North in the opener. Cincinnati has something to prove while Baltimore is looking to prove they are still among the elite after last year’s slip.
NFL Betting Lines
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Baltimore Ravens
Sunday September 7
1:00PM
M&T Bank Stadium – Baltimore, MD
CBS
NFL Football Betting Lines: Pick’em
NFL Football Betting Total: 42.5
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Cincinnati
The Bengals are looking to repeat as division champs in the AFC North this season.
It won’t be easy to best Baltimore and Pittsburgh again but they can get off to a good start by winning at the Ravens on Sunday.
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This has been one of the most active numbers on the board with the game opening at a Baltimore -3 and it coming all the way down to a pick’em.
Unfortunately that draws some of the value out of the Cincy side who I think is the better team anyway.
Cincinnati might be a little more offensive minded this season.
They lost coordinator Mike Zimmer, who became the coach in Minnesota, but they still have very good personnel on that side of the ball, especially if Geno Atkins is all the way back from injury.
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However, in my opinion they have the chances to be a really good offensive team with A.J. Green and Gio Bernard being fantastic playmakers. They can soup things up and shut teams out.
Baltimore
The Ravens are hoping to get back to the playoffs after a mediocre Super Bowl defending season.
It won’t be easy early as they will be without running back Ray Rice and it looks like CB Ladarius Webb is out with an injury too.
Bernard Pierce is a quality backup for Rice but he has a concussion and might not play leaving them pretty thin back there.
If that is the case it will put a lot of pressure on QB Joe Flacco, who was off last season.
With Steve Smith in the fold at receiver he could have a big season – they have looked good in the preseason.
Last year these teams split their two games with both teams winning at home. Baltimore is going to be ripe to get upset this season if they can’t get a running game going because the Bengals defense is too good to be overly one dimensional against.
Rookie Lorenzo Taliaferro may have to come up big and that is asking a lot of a guy from Coastal Carolina.
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Baltimore will be improved this season but we may not see it on Sunday.
NFL Football Handicapping Trends:
- Over is 4-0 in Bengals last 4 games in Week 1.
- Bengals are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games on fieldturf.
- Over is 4-1 in Bengals last 5 games overall.
- Ravens are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games in Week 1.
- Over is 4-1 in Ravens last 5 games overall.
- Ravens are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games on fieldturf.
NFL Football Week #1 Prediction: 4* Free Play On Cincinnati ATS
Even though the value has eroded a little bit I still see Cincinnati as the high value play. They are the better team and even though they are on the road they have the right makeup to win.
Plus this is a day game and the first of the year. It won’t be the same as it would later in the season.
Check out our Updated NFL Football Week 1 Odds.
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