The defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens will open up the 2013 NFL season against the Denver Broncos on Thursday night, Sept. 5. This game will air on NBC beginning at 8:30 pm ET.
- When:
Thurs., Sept. 5th, 2013 @ 8:30pm ET
- Where:
Sports Authority Field, Denver, CO
- Who’s Favored?
Broncos by 9 ~ 48 o/u @ BetOnline
- More Info:
Typically the Super Bowl champions host the game as a type of celebration to their championship run as an honor to open the new season. But there was a conflict in Baltimore with an Orioles game that the baseball team did not want to move that forced the game to take place in Denver now.
The Broncos enter this season with very high expectations, as the favorites to win the AFC. Year-one of the Peyton Manning era was met with an AFC West title and the No.1 seed in the playoffs. Denver lost to Baltimore in the Divisional round, while the Ravens obviously went on to win it all.
Among the moves that the Broncos made to improve in the offseason was bringing in receiver Wes Welker from the Patriots. Welker is expected to play a similar role that he did in New England, which gives Manning a big offensive weapon.
As for Baltimore, they lost a ton of players from last season to free agency, retirement, and injury. The Ravens have been scrambling to find a new identity, but as long as they have quarterback Joe Flacco they should be ok.
Even though Flacco won the Super Bowl last season, this is a big year for him. It’s a chance to prove that he is one of the best quarterbacks and a consistent quarterback who can do it even when the surrounding talent have somewhat gone.