LIONS at RAVENS
Take: LIONS +2.5
I’m expecting a typical “dress rehearsal” Week Three game here as the Lions take on the Ravens. That’s from a personnel standpoint, with both teams expected to give their projected starters ample playing time this evening. But beyond that, I’m getting a read that the visitors might be feeling more of a need to establish something positive tonight.
Joe Flacco has not taken a snap since he got hurt last season. So I make this more about getting back under center, finding a little rhythm and maybe even taking a hit or two to get over any mental hurdles that might still exist for the veteran Ravens quarterback. I’m sure head coach John Harbaugh would like to see his team perform well as this game is the most important of the pre-season and the regulars probably will not play at all next week. But drives and scores might be more of a bonus in terms of the overall big picture emphasis for the Ravens tonight.
The Lions might be more intent on actually getting the football in the end zone tonight. Head coach Jim Caldwell made that pretty clear with his comments this week. Here’s some of what Caldwell had to say.
“We just haven’t been able to finish drives like we’ve wanted to. We’ve moved the ball up and down the field pretty well. The most important thing when you get down there close, you’ve got to be able to come away with more than three points. So we’re looking for that and for efficiency across the board.”
Caldwell will apparently play the starters for the entire first half, and it’s pretty clear from the quote as to what he wants to see happen tonight. So my assessment is that there’s more urgency on the Detroit side and those are the type of notes that will usually get me interested in a side.
Here’s why I’m limiting this to a half unit play. I won’t try and excuse this, but the fact is Caldwell made these comments on Wednesday and I didn’t see it till Friday. That’s my fault, and in the interim, the line moved. Obviously, I’m not the only one with access to the coach quotes, and this line, which had been available at 3.5 is now almost exclusively 2.5.
I still want to play the Lions off the info, but I’m no going to swallow added juice to buy the game to 3. I don’t think that is a smart move in pre-season games where typical key numbers are of less importance. So I’ll have to apparently settle for +2.5, and with the value having been diminished, I’ll make this a half unit call on the Lions.