Ravens open as 3 point favorites over the Steelers

**Crean N Crimson** · 07-20-2011, 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by camdenyard

A betting line, and we don't even know who will be on our offensive line.

The Steelers are $10mil over the proposed salary cap. They don't know who's gonna be on their o-line either..

**Dave Lap** · 07-20-2011, 09:11 AM

I'm not worried about the game. Ravens will take it.

**Beau Petard** · 07-20-2011, 09:20 AM

Not that anyone cares, but always keep in mind that betting lines are set to optimize how much money gets laid on either side. If lots of money is placed on Pitt, that line will move faster than the NFL management/players negotiating team.....hhhmmmm... bad example! ;)

Howsabout, the point spread will change? :)

**wickedsolo** · 07-20-2011, 10:53 AM

I actually agree with NNS.

I'd rather play a Carolina or Miami in the first week because most teams are going to be figuring things out still. Pittsburgh will have the same issues we will have, I'd just wish they would have scheduled the Steelers for week 2 or 3.

Also, 3 point favorites already? Come on. How about we wait and see what happens with FA first. What if we can't keep Yanda or what if the Steelers sign Nnamdi? Those things make a big difference.

**HoustonRaven** · 07-20-2011, 10:59 AM

Point spreads are for betting. They are not an indicator of team strength.

I am scratching my head why people think they need to wait to see a final roster.

**SC_Raven_Fan** · 07-20-2011, 11:04 AM

I hope their secondary still sucks and Flacco figured out how to speed up his decision/delivery speed

**Crean N Crimson** · 07-20-2011, 11:08 AM

I don't want to say this game is a MUST WIN, but it kinda is... Harbaugh needs some wins against Pitt, Flacco needs to get the Rothlisrapist monkey off his back, the offense needs to prove they can move the ball against a solid d, oh and it's opening day, at home, on 9/11.

**Lime in the Coconut** · 07-20-2011, 11:21 AM

Yeah, I have to admit I'll be so ticked if we lose to them week 1. I'm so sick of them and after Mendenhall's comments, it just seems fit that we get the win on 9/11. Plus we are really really due for a win against them with Benny at the helm. The key thing is, and I've said it all offseason long, we have to play and stay aggressive for 60 minutes. As soon as you stop punching them in the mouth and get conservative, they comeback and win. It happened twice last year. Not only do the players have to show up for 60, but the coaching staff does too.

**mdduckman** · 07-20-2011, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by Lime in the Coconut

Yeah, I have to admit I'll be so ticked if we lose to them week 1. I'm so sick of them and after Mendenhall's comments, it just seems fit that we get the win on 9/11. Plus we are really really due for a win against them with Benny at the helm. The key thing is, and I've said it all offseason long, we have to play and stay aggressive for 60 minutes. As soon as you stop punching them in the mouth and get conservative, they comeback and win. It happened twice last year. Not only do the players have to show up for 60, but the coaching staff does too.

Agree 100% with this. Our season won't be over if we lose, but from an emotion standpoint, it will definitely set the season off with a bad tone.

I for one am excited - opening game is already a time to get excited, and having us play the Steelers...on 9/11 with everything that will be going on in rememberance of that...it's going to be an emotional game, for sure.

:T2:

**Teavo** · 07-20-2011, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by Lime in the Coconut

Yeah, I have to admit I'll be so ticked if we lose to them week 1. I'm so sick of them and after Mendenhall's comments, it just seems fit that we get the win on 9/11. Plus we are really really due for a win against them with Benny at the helm. The key thing is, and I've said it all offseason long, we have to play and stay aggressive for 60 minutes. As soon as you stop punching them in the mouth and get conservative, they comeback and win. It happened twice last year. Not only do the players have to show up for 60, but the coaching staff does too.

Excellent post.

It's instructive to take note that (as far as I can remember) in games against us where Pittsburgh is leading, the Steelers don't start playing conservative football. They stay aggressive to the end and as a result I can't think of a game against us in recent memory where the Steelers let a victory get away because they were too complacent. Unfortunately the Ravens have done exactly that.

But I'm excited for week 1 against the Pissburghers. A like a big division-rival game to start off the season.

**Steelgal** · 07-20-2011, 04:15 PM

I'm not surprised by the line. If teams are pretty evenly matched, doesn't the home team usually get a 3 point favor?

**AirFlacco** · 07-20-2011, 06:16 PM

Yea, usually but not in this case. Squeelers beat us 2 of 3 times last year
including here in last 3 mins of the game so that negates our home
field advantage. We only won up there because Charlie Batch played
and he almost won it with 37 secs left.

Ben owns the Ravens.