San Francisco 49ers vs. Baltimore Ravens: What Do the Experts Think?

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If you are like me, you love to go from website to website seeing what every expert thinks of this week's upcoming slate of games.  Whether it's Tony Schefter of ESPN.com or Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News, it's always fun to take a look at what the guys think who don't have a hometown bias.  

I've gone through and collected a few of these expert picks.  Feel free to leave extra predictors in the comments section, and take a look at what these guys think.

Doug Kretz: ESPN's Scouts Inc.

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Scouts Inc. is one of my favorite pre-game prognosticators.  Not only do I love to see who they think will win and what the score will be, but I also love the positional matchups and the bullet points they make.

 

PREDICTION: San Francisco 17, Baltimore 14

Mike Florio, Ken Rosenthal: Pro Football Talk

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Both pick the 49ers here and give reasons for their picks.  I like Florio's take that Jim is already a better coach then John.  Sucks to be the older brother there.

 

PREDICTION:

Florio: San Francisco 17, Baltimore 10

Rosenthal: San Francisco, 17, Baltimore 10

Albert Breer: NFL Network

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The first person to pick against the 49ers is from the NFL's own network.  Although he really gives no reason why.

 

PREDICTION: Baltimore 24, San Francisco 17

Grant Cohn: Inside the 49ers, Pressdemocrat.com

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This might be the biggest homer pick I have found.  Not too surprising is that it comes from a hometown newspaper.  He also makes the claim that the 49ers have the better quarterback.

 

PREDICTION: San Francisco 30, Baltimore 3

ESPN: NFL Expert Picks

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Thank you to Eric Allen and Merrill Hoge for picking the 49ers to win on the other side of the country.  Is it any coincidence that both experts played their careers in the secondary, also the 49ers' biggest weak spot?

 

PREDICTION: Eight experts picked Baltimore, including the two computer picks, while San Francisco had only two picks.

San Jose Mercury News

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In this composite list of picks, the columnists pick against the spread and not the games straight up.  Although they typically pick the outright winner, as well.

 

PREDICTIONS:
Poole: 49ers to cover
Ryan: 49ers to cover
Kawakami: Baltimore with the points
Purdy: Baltimore with the points
Killion: 49ers to cover

San Francisco 3, Baltimore 2 (this could actually be the score of the game)

Peter King: Sports Illustrated

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To me, Peter King is the most reliable man in football.  I trust what he says, although this pick of the Chargers going to the Super Bowl is reason for me to doubt him.

 

PREDICTION: San Francisco 20, Baltimore 13

Jeff Fletcher: Bleacher Report

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The key to the game is Joe Flacco.  Sometimes he throws the ball all over the place and sometimes he looks like the second coming of Joe Cool in the pocket.  I think the 49ers go man on man with Carlos Rogers on Anquan Boldin.  Boldin is a shorter route receiver, and Carlos Rogers loves to jump routes.  On the other side, the 49ers double up on the deep threat of Torrey Smith with a cornerback and a safety over top.  

The 49ers take away the passing game and win their fifth eastern-time-zone game of the season.

 

PREDICTION: San Francisco 23, Baltimore 13 

Summary

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So the Ravens take more wins than the 49ers do, but just by one.  Eleven picks to the Ravens and 10 to the 49ers.  Of course, if you take away the two computers that picked for ESPN, the 49ers end up with more picks.  Either way, it should be a great game.

 

PREDICTION: Baltimore 11 picks, San Francisco 10 

 

Don't forget to leave additional expert picks in the comments section, as well as your own prediction as well.