Football Odds – Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs. Sunday’s first game in NFL football odds has the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Baltimore Ravens.The Ravens are 3-point road favorites in NFL betting lines at the Sbg global sportsbook with the total on the game listed at 41.
Baltimore Offense vs. Kansas City Defense
The Ravens love to run the ball with Ray Rice and Willis McGahee but it may be quarterback Joe Flacco who decides this game. The Chiefs will try and stuff the run and make Flacco beat them. He has the receivers to do it with Anquan Boldin, Derrick Mason and tight end Todd Heap. Kansas City’s defense is still young and will make mistakes. The Ravens have the edge.
Kansas City Offense vs. Baltimore Defense
It is strength vs. strength in this matchup. The Chiefs ran the ball better than any team in the NFL with Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones but the Ravens can stuff the run. Kansas City will have to throw the ball to win and although quarterback Matt Cassel has had his moments he can also make mistakes. If Cassel doesn’t play well then the Chiefs have no chance in this game against the NFL betting lines. It should also be noted that Kansas City could be without their top receiver in Dwayne Bowe who has missed practice this week. If the Ravens stuff the run as expected then Cassel will be forced to throw and without Bowe he will have very little success.
Special Teams
Baltimore has the edge on special teams simply because they have kicker Billy Cundiff. He led the league in touchbacks this season and that means Kansas City will have a long field all day long. The Ravens also have a good kick returner in David Reed who averaged 29.3 yards per return.
Coaching
The edge in coaching has to go to Baltimore. John Harbaugh has had the Ravens in the playoffs every season since he took over and Baltimore is improving every year. Todd Haley did a nice job for Kansas City but he still looks in over his head sometimes. The Chiefs will also be losing offensive coordinator Charlie Weis to Florida so who knows how much of his attention will have been diverted this week.
Prediction
Despite the so-called wise guys taking the Chiefs and the points against the football odds, the play in this game is on the Ravens. They are the better team and in the playoffs the better team usually wins.