WASHINGTON VS BALTIMORE: 8/23/14 FREE PICK & PREDICTION | OSB
The Washington Redskins and the Baltimore Ravens will face each other this Saturday for their third game of the 2014 preseason. The Redskins secondary has been outstanding so far, as their starting players are yet to concede a touchdown or even a long completion. But playing against a Ravens offense that has a lot of powerful weapons will give the team a more accurate perspective on how things actually are. Baltimore’s backend, on the other hand, is probably the team’s biggest concern, mainly because of injuries and lack of depth, and facing quick receivers like DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon will definitely be an excellent test for their backup players.
These are the betting odds that have been posted on this 2014 NFL preseason game at BetOnAnySports, your home for the best NFL betting options:
Robert Griffin III has struggled with the new offensive system that is being implemented in Washington and reports already suggest that Kirk Cousins has looked the better of the two quarterbacks. But since there is no QB competition in Washington (yet?), this game against the Ravens will be a good test to see just how concerned should the fans be with RGIII, with just three weeks until the start of the season. The Redskins defense, particularly the secondary, will be facing their toughest challenge on the preseason, going against Joe Flacco and his tough receiving corps. Washington added safety Ryan Clark and cornerback Tracy Porter to a group that already had Pro Bowl cornerback DeAngelo Hall and David Amersom, a second year player that his quickly making a name for himself at the cornerback position.
With Ray Rice out for the first two games of the season due to suspension, the Ravens may have found in Bernard Pierce the answer to their problems at running back, and we should see plenty of him against the Redskins. Joe Flacco is still trying to get comfortable with the new system and playing against the solid first team defense that the Redskins have will give an excellent indication on how the Ravens’ offense can perform. The secondary looks to be their biggest cause for concern at the moment and things don’t seem to get much better going forward. Against the Cowboys last week, they allowed Tony Romo to go 4-for-5 for 80 yards and a touchdown in the two series that he played. Injury problems continue to pile up at cornerback, with starter Lardarius Webb missing the rest of the preseason and probably the first game of the regular season against the Cincinnati Bengals with a back problem.
This game will present an excellent opportunity for coaches to find a ray of hope in deeper guys on the roster who may step up and show what they have to offer. The focus on this game will be on a Redskins pass defense that after conceding 29 passing touchdowns last season, more than all but six football teams, was upgraded and is expected to deliver better results. After watching his receivers struggling to get open and his quarterbacks missing a few throws against the Cowboys, John Harbaugh and his offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak will certainly be looking for a different performance. Expect Joe Flacco to show off his arm talent and the Ravens defense to pile up the pressure on RGIII.
Our Prediction: Ravens Win
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