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Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens NFL Picks & Predictions

Written by Jimmy Boyd

chiefs ravens 9909 The Kansas City Chiefs head to M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland to take on the AFC North’s Baltimore Ravens in a season-opening AFC clash. The Chiefs finished the 2008 season with a horrid 2-14 record and things have been rough in the 2009 preseason as well. The Chiefs finished the preseason 0-4 and take on a Baltimore team which was one of the best in the AFC in 2008. The Ravens continued last season’s success in this year’s preseason by posting a 4-0 record. These teams last met in 2006 when the late Steve McNair had a big day in leading the Ravens to a 20-10 victory in Kansas City. But the Chiefs have actually had the upper hand in this series. They are 3-1 all-time against the Ravens with all three of those wins coming in Baltimore. Still, NFL lines makers are expecting a one-sided affair, listing the Baltimore Ravens as 13-point favorites with the total set at 36.

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There’s big news for Chiefs fans to take note of but I didn’t say it was good news. Quarterback Matt Cassel, who led the New England Patriots to 11 wins last season in Tom Brady’s absence and who signed a $60 million contract with the Chiefs, may not go in the season opener following a knee injury he suffered in the third game of the preseason. If Cassel isn’t able to go, the Chiefs will be counting on big things from tailback Larry Johnson, who is looking to have a bounce back year. Johnson has been a bit of a problem child the last couple seasons with injuries and off-the-field issues. But Johnson is now healthy and enters the 2009 season with a greater sense of focus. Getting yards on the ground against the Ravens has been harder than pulling teeth, though, and the Chiefs don’t have the dominant line Johnson was used to running behind in their strong 2005 and 2006 campaigns. In fact, the Ravens have not allowed a 100 yard ball carrier in 35 straight games. But here’s the catch. Johnson was the last running back to break the century mark against the Ravens, rushing for 120 yards in 2006. While a win this week is likely not a strong possibility for the Chiefs, covering the spread could be when you consider that the Chiefs are 8-0 against the spread in their last 8 games as a road underdog of 10.5 or more points. If you like Kansas City to cover the double digit spread, bet the Chiefs at +13 at Sportsbook.com.

The Ravens perennially put one of the strongest defenses in the league on the field, but that was under former defensive coordinator Rex Ryan who is now the head coach of the New York Jets. Now, the Ravens turn to Greg Mattison and hope to see no drop off. Mattison does not intend of changing much and he would be a fool to do so. Basically, he just needs to put Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs and company out on the field and get the heck out of the way. I’m pretty sure anyone could coach this talented, hard-nosed defense.

Offensively, the Ravens haven’t traditionally been a high scoring team, but we did see the offense make strides last season under rookie QB Joe Flacco. In fact, the Ravens scored 27 or more points in nine regular season games in 2008. The Ravens are 7-3 against the spread in their last 10 games as a favorite of 10.5 or more points, but only 2-5 against the spread in their last seven games in Week 1. If you like Baltimore to beat the point spread, bet the Ravens at -13 at Sportsbook.com.

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