Cleveland Browns vs. Baltimore Ravens: NFL Week 2 Betting Odds and Picks

Cleveland Browns vs. Baltimore Ravens
Sunday, 9/15/13, 1:00 PM EST
Opening Point Spread: Baltimore -6
Current Betting Line: Baltimore -6.5
Opening Total: 42
Current Total: 44
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

Ravens vs. Bengals NFL Preview — Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco has never lost to the Cleveland Browns

Cleveland suffered a 23-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins as 2.5-point home favorites in its season opener last Sunday, while going UNDER the betting total of 40.5. The Browns are hoping they can get things going offensively, as the team has failed to amass 300 years in three of its last four contests. “I know we were a long ways away from where we wanted to be,” commented Browns running back Trent Richardson. Cleveland is 0-5 SU and 3-1-1 ATS as road underdogs of 3.5 to 7 points the last two-plus seasons.

The Browns need a big game from second-year quarterback Brandon Weeden, who needs to be more accurate with his throws and reduce the velocity he places on shorter and intermediate routes. On the other side of the football, Cleveland’s defensive line must be aware of Baltimore running back Ray Rice, especially since its opponent is without key contributors from last year’s Super Bowl squad.

Baltimore opened its 2013 NFL regular season in suffering a 49-27 loss to the Denver Broncos as 7.5-point road underdogs on Sept. 5, but it still has the opportunity of winning its third consecutive AFC North title. The Ravens have won at least one playoff game in their previous five seasons under head coach Jim Harbaugh, while they’s gone 33-7 at home during his time on the sidelines. Offensively, the team ranked fourth in the league in averaging 31.8 points at home during the 2012 campaign. Baltimore is 5-1 SU and 4-1-1 ATS as home favorites of 3.5 to 7 points, which is important to consider when making your NFL expert picks in Week 2.

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is a perfect 10-0 in his career against the Browns—completing 166 of 268 passes for 2,037 yards and 12 touchdowns with five interceptions. Baltimore owns a 21-9 record in divisional play since 2008, which happens to be the third-best mark in that particular situation in the league, trailing only the New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers. Since Harbaugh’s arrival, the franchise is 12-5 in September, which is the best such record in the NFL.