Man, Vegas don't play. Minutes after the NFL released it's schedule, the Vegas odds are flowing in on all the week 1 action.
That didn't take long... Week 1 lines are already here. (via @Westgate_LV) pic.twitter.com/HTVBt8tmzA
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 22, 2015
Sadly, Vegas got it wrong again. I could see favoring Denver by a bit just because of home field advantage, but giving them 4 points is a bit much.
You have to think that Denver will still be implementing it's full offense by the time week 1 comes around and no one really knows exactly how Peyton Manning will perform as he enters his 18th season having just turned 39. Especially after a career threatening neck surgery a few years prior being added to the mix. While the Ravens will be figuring out their offense, they won't have to contend with a whole new head coach and possible change in philosophy across the board. That type of turmoil will cause the Broncos to have a little bit of a hiccup to start the season.
Then you have to talk about the Ravens' gameplan and style against the Broncos style of play. Typically, Peyton Manning led teams are throw first type of offenses that rely on moving the ball in bigger chunks down the field. The Broncos defense was middle of the road last season, giving up 22.1 points per game on average. If the Ravens can get any type of run game going against them, they can grind out the game and keep the ball out of Peyton's hands. If necessary, the Ravens have shown the ability to go through the air either deep or by throwing possession passes that still grind down the clock.
While a lot will still be decided by who the Broncos and Ravens draft as well as any further free agent moves, right now, I'd still have my money on the Ravens being able to beat up Manning and slow the game down enough to keep the Broncos' scoring chances at a minimum.