BetAnySports’ NFL Preseason Pick of the Week
New Orleans Saints at Baltimore Ravens- Thursday, Aug. 13
The New Orleans Saints will return to action in preseason football this Thursday night with a trip to M&T Bank Stadium to face the Baltimore Ravens. BetAnySports listed the opening number on the Ravens as three-point home favorites with the total set at 37.5. The current line is now Baltimore as a 2 1/2-point favorite and the total now is sitting at 38.
This will be the third meeting between these two teams in the last two years after they faced one another both in the preseason and regular season in 2014. The Ravens came out on top both times starting with a 22-13 victory in late August as three-point road underdogs. The total stayed UNDER the closing 41.5-point line. They went on to beat the Saints again 34-27 as 2.5-point underdogs on the road. The total went OVER BetAnySports’ closing 50.5-point line in that game.
The Saints went 7-9 straight-up last season to finish second in the NFC South. It was just the second time in the last six seasons that New Orleans failed to make it into the postseason. With Drew Brees at the helm as quarterback, the offense put up some big numbers in 2014.
This unit led the NFL in both total yards and passing yards and it was ranked ninth in scoring with an average of 25.1 points a game. The stats on the other side of the ball were a whole other story with New Orleans ranked 31st in the league in total yards allowed. This unit gave-up an average of 26.5 points a game.
The Ravens’ SU 10-6 record last year was good enough to earn a wildcard spot in the playoffs, but they bowed-out in the Divisional Round in a 35-31 loss to New England as seven-point road underdogs. This followed a stunning 30-17 upset of rival Pittsburgh as three-point underdogs on the road in the opening round of the postseason.
Baltimore was ranked 12th in total yards and eighth in scoring with Joe Flacco under center. Once again, the Ravens’ primary strength was on the other side of the ball on defense. This unit allowed just 18.9 points, which was sixth-best in the NFL.
You would have to think it will be a short night for both Brees and Flacco in this preseason opener for both teams. Stick with the Ravens to run their current winning streak in this matchup to four games while covering BetAnySports’ 2 1/2-point spread.
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