Buffalo at Baltimore NFL Week 1 Expert Picks

The opening week of the NFL season is a time when every single team comes in believing that they have what it takes to be a Super Bowl champion. Of course, only one team can win it all, and a quick look at the Super Bowl betting odds make it pretty obvious that the fans and bookies only believe that a handful of teams have a legitimate shot of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy when all is said and done. That said, there is usually a team or two who come out and have a surprising season, and it can be argued that the Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens have the ability to be in that group if they can play to the very best of their abilities. Getting off to a good start is very often the key to a good season, especially when you are playing in division as tough as the one that the Ravens do business in. Baltimore are coming into this one as a slight 3-point home favorite, which indicates that these two are pretty evenly matched.

A Closer Look At The Bills at Ravens NFL Week 1 Expert Picks

When: Sunday, September 11 at 1 PM EST Where: MT&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore TV: CBS Radio: WGR and WBAL Live Stream: CBS Sports Network NFL Odds: Ravens -3    

Why bet on the Buffalo Bills

Heading into last season, the belief was that it would be the Buffalo Bills defense that would carry them through the year, especially since they were ranked #4 in 2014. Unfortunately, the defense dropped off dramatically, and the Bills were forced to rely on the arm, and legs, of Tyrod Taylor, who ended up throwing for over 3,000 yards and 20 TD. He also ran for over 500 yards, and added 4 more TD’s on the ground. If the young man can repeat that level of performance, the Bills will be in very good shape offensively. Rob Ryan has been brought in to take care of the defense, and I expect that to pay instant dividends. The Bills could well be a dark hose team this season.

Why bet on the Baltimore Ravens

It was a rough season for Baltimore last year, as their roster was hit hard by the injury bug. The biggest loss last year was QB Joe Flacco, who ended up sitting out 6 games due to injury. He is healthy again now, and the Ravens need him under center to lead what is a pretty talented group of receivers.  You would have to believe that Baltimore will not have the same injury woes this time around, but they have already lost Ben Watson for an extended period after he tore his Achilles tendon in a preseason game. The Ravens need a fast start if they are to compete in the AFC North, but this is a tough Week 1 game for them.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

When you have two very similar teams going head to head, it’s common to give the edge to the home team. I am going to go against that, though, as I think that the Bills are a little more efficient on offense, and they have the ability on defense to shut down Flacco and co.

Buffalo Bills 24 Baltimore Ravens 20