The Opening Game of the Season…. We’re on Home Territory at Mile High…. We’ve had a great pre-season…. We did well in the draft…. Miller, Thomas, Sanders, Anderson, Ware, Talib, Ward and Manning are all looking to be fit…. Gary Kubiak is settled…. And we’ve got the Ravens….
Sure, the past is the past, and last season ended disappointingly, so of us even calling for Manning’s head after he ‘choked’ to quote many fans. But, and I don’t want to jinx it for the Orange & Blues, we’re in a good place right now. All the signs that we can get off to a good start are present, so what should we expect from the Ravens?
Judging by Baltimore’s performance against the Eagles on 22nd August, we shouldn’t be expecting too much from the Ravens other than perhaps another Terrell Sugg’s cheap shot, when they travel out to Denver’s Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Joe Flacco’s side were exposed in offense and defense during the Eagles 40-17 pre-season demolition of the Ravens.
Is Joe Flacco a good enough QB to do any damage to the Broncos defense? His stats for last season sit him as the 16th best QB in the NFL and he is certainly no Brady, nor is he of the calibre of Luck or Rodgers. That said Flacco is consistent in being good but not quite good enough so we should expect a 60% pass completion rate, 1.5 TD per game conversion rate and at a guess 1 or 2 interceptions.
Dean Pees, Raven’s defensive coordinator came under fire for not having a ‘game plan’ for the Philly Phiasco, the Broncos can only hope that a similar quality game plan is implemented, because when organised I can imagine the nasty, rough, dirty ‘next generation’ defense Williams, Upshaw, Suggs and Hill could cause the Broncos offense some issues.
My Prediction? Broncos 21 – 6 Ravens. The Ravens will defend hard and tough but the Broncos will break them down with 3TD, while Flacco isn’t necessarily dangerous and the Ravens offense are struggling for full fitness with niggles and injuries to Taliaferro (knee), Perriman (knee), Campanaro (soft tissue) and Means (groin); they are a consistently strong team who can grind out points and should break the Broncos defense with 1TD.