New England Patriots Vs. Baltimore Ravens 9/23/2012
NFL Betting – Patriots and Ravens Meet in Epic Clash
New England Patriots Vs. Baltimore Ravens – Sunday September 23, 2012 8:20PM EST : Want a $900 no lose free bet on this game. Click here.
The betting experts know that the New England Patriots are not the kind of team to sit around and cry over a loss, but the week two home loss to the Arizona Cardinals has to still smart a little bit. The thing that has to hurt the most is that it was an all-out effort by the Arizona back-up quarterback that helped the Cardinals to hand Tom Brady his first home opener loss ever. The new and improved Patriots’ defense that held together so well in week one was torched in week two by the Cardinals’ passing and running games. Most teams would consider a loss like that to be a setback. The Patriots look at it as a learning experience.
The sportsbook experts have no problem standing by their preseason prediction that the Baltimore Ravens will win the AFC North this year. But after the week two loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the betting world is wondering if the Ravens can pull out the close wins against top teams. The Ravens, just like the Patriots, have something to prove in this game. Baltimore wants to show the rest of the league that it is a team to be taken seriously and that it is a team that should be considered a Super Bowl contender.
New England Patriots
The most frustrating part about its week two loss for the Patriots is that the team feels like it lost the game as opposed to getting beat. A bad penalty called back a touchdown and then the normally reliable kicker Stephen Gostkowski missed a game-winning field goal. The Patriots had opportunities to win the game, but the team could not convert those opportunities. That sounds nothing like the New England Patriots, which is why most people are expecting a much more focused team in this game. The Patriots barely beat the Ravens in last year’s AFC Championship game, and the Patriots know that Baltimore would love revenge.
Baltimore Ravens
Like most AFC teams, the Baltimore Ravens look forward to the chance to play the New England Patriots in the regular season or the playoffs. If you bet on sports, then you consider the Patriots to be one of the ultimate tests for any other NFL team. The notion that the Ravens want revenge for last year’s AFC Championship game is a little off because the winner of this game is not necessarily going to the Super Bowl. But the Ravens understand the kind of momentum a win over the Patriots can create, and that is something worth playing for.
The Bottom Line
This should be an epic game between two very talented and physical teams. The Patriots need to get its defense on track if it wants to maintain its dominance in the AFC, and the Ravens need to get its offense on track if it wants to be considered a Super Bowl contender. In the end, this game will come down to coaching, and that is where New England has a significant advantage.
Click here for more about the Patriots and its playoff run.
Pick: New England Patriots
