2005 Baltimore Ravens NFL Handicapping Review

 

By Tom Wilkinson

 

Coming off of a 10-6 playoff season and playing in the relatively weak AFC North Division, the Baltimore Ravens were expected to be a playoff contender once again in 2004. But a shocking 3-20 opening day loss at Cleveland as 3-point road favorites was an immediate alarm to sports betting players that something may be wrong with the Ravens. Baltimore had a nice rebound the next week in a 30-13 home win over Pittsburgh, and followed that up with a 23-9 win at Cincinnati, covering both games against the sports betting odds as favorites.

The Ravens next hosted a winless and desperate Kansas City team as 5.5-point favorites on a Monday Night. Despite being winless the Chiefs were still respected by many experts at sports handicapping football picks and KC prevailed 27-24. This game is a good lesson on how the general public perception made the Ravens a poor value against the sports betting odds.

In their next six games, Baltimore went 5-1 straight up and 6-0 against the sports betting odds despite the terrible play of quarterback Kyle Boller. The Ravens were being carried by their defense and stood at 7-3 as they headed to New England for a showdown against the Patriots. The Ravens sucked more than a few online sports betting players into a trap with their status as 7-point road dogs and were dominated by New England 3-24. This game was a clear indicator of Baltimore’s “pretender” status, showing that they were at least a full notch below elite status.

Many online sports betting boards had posts ripping the Ravens, who failed to get off the mat and lost their next game to Cincinnati 26-27 as 6.5-point home chalks. These back to back losses by Baltimore and their offensive woes enticed few sports betting players into wanting to lay ten points with football picks on the Ravens in their next game which was at home against the New York Giants. Many in sports handicapping, in fact, thought the Giants +10 was a great value. In a case of being a week late and many dollars short those who abandoned Baltimore were burned 37-14 as the Ravens blindsided the online sports betting players blogging against them all week. After seeming to once again have their act together, many sports betting players wanted a piece of Baltimore and the 7.5-points at Indianapolis. But again, it was a week late and many dollars short as the Colts prevailed 20-10, sending the Ravens on a three-game season ending losing streak to the sports betting odds makers.