NFL Week 1 Picks: Baltimore Ravens vs. Denver Broncos

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is 5-0 straight up and against the spread in season openers over his career, which is important to consider when making your Week 1 NFL picks Thursday, as he prepares to meet the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Sports bettors will find that the Ravens are 8.5-point road underdogs in the pro football odds, with the betting total sitting at 49 in the market.

Let's take a closer look at this AFC matchup from a betting perspective while offering up a prediction along the way.

Gambling stats via SBR Forum

Baltimore Ravens

The defending Super Bowl champions are 12-1 straight up and 8-3-2 against the spread in their last 13 season openers.

Baltimore Ravens linebackers Elvis Dumervil and Terrell Suggs will look to create pressure on Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning. They've combined for 148 sacks in their careers.

Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos have won 25 of their 29 home openers during the Pat Bowlen era, including a 31-19 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers as 2.5-point favorites in 2012.

NFL handicappers will find that the favorite is 4-1 against the spread in the last five meetings in this series.

Prediction

I'm going to recommend that readers back the Baltimore Ravens, as they've covered the number in 11 of their last 16 games in September.

NFL Week 1 Pick: Baltimore Ravens +8.5

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