The Baltimore Ravens were hit hard by injuries a year ago and stumbled from start to finish, missing the playoffs by a wide margin after being so accustomed to being there. They are back to health and picked up a solid win in their opener against the Buffalo BIlls.
The Ravens are on the road but will be favored in Week 2 when they face off against the Cleveland Browns. The early games are important as Baltimore aims to place itself among the playoff contenders in the AFC. The schedule is favorable and Cleveland will need to play well, even at home, to have a chance to pull off the upset.
This showdown in Week 2 of the regular season will take place on Sunday, September 18, 2016, at 1 p.m. ET at Ford Field.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Ravens -6
Browns +6
Over/Under 43.5
Odds Analysis
The money is coming in heavier on the Ravens after their nice opening-day showing. Cleveland, not surprisingly, struggled in Philadelphia and lost for the first time in what is expected to be a rough season.
The “under” is getting more of the action on the scoring total as the Browns don’t have a lot of ways to put up points;
Injury Report
Josh Gordon -- The Browns’ star receiver missed all of last season due to suspension and is similarly out for the first four games of this year. He is arguably the team’s best player and will give it a huge lift once he returns, but for now Cleveland must make due without him.
Robert Griffin III -- The Browns quarterback suffered a sprained shoulder in the team’s opener against the Eagles. He said he will be good to go for Week 2, but it is something to monitor.
Elvis Dumervil -- The Ravens didn’t have the star pass-rusher because of a foot injury in the opener. If he can play, it would be a big boost against the Browns. Keep an eye on his availability as the week moves forward.
Players to Watch
Terrelle Pryor and Mike Wallace -- Each team has a wide receiver who had been dismissed as an impact player recently but came up huge in the regular season opener. Wallace was a former Steelers star who has been unable to match that success since leaving Pittsburgh.
He was a ghost last year with the Vikings but is aiming to reboot his career with a strong deep-ball quarterback in Joe Flacco. Wallace had three catches for 91 yards and a touchdown in the first game.
Pryor is a converted quarterback who seems to be finding his stride at wideout. He was always athletic but needed to learn the nuances of the position. Pryor had three catches for 68 yards in Cleveland’s opener, and if he continues to evolve, the Browns passing game could be improved.
Free ATS Pick
The Ravens might be getting some buzz heading into this game after a solid showing in their opener. However, there are still question marks on the roster. Flacco played pretty well against Buffalo but he’s not a star signal-caller, and there aren’t a great collection of skill players around him.
Cleveland will be a home underdog but showed some flashes of competency in the opening-day loss to the Eagles. While expectations are obviously tempered, the maturation of Pryor and others is a positive sign and the Browns will aim to keep moving forward.
The Ravens are the better team and should be able to win this game, but with the point spread nearly a touchdown, the Browns should be the choice to cover. Cleveland gets to play at home, and Griffin III can do some things with his legs to create big plays and keep the Browns within shouting distance.
This one might not be pretty but Baltimore should get the job done on the money line. The scoring total is well-placed, but the “over” is the pick as a late score could push it in that direction.
NFL Odds: Ravens 24, Browns 21
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
