NFL Record: Best Bets 3-3, Regular Picks 11-4 (Updated Oct 28)

Most weeks we provide our NFL best bet of the week and an additional two to three picks that we believe offer some betting value. Last season our top play crushed the book with an incredible 15 point spread covers from 21 selections. Good for a 71.4 winning percent. While it will be difficult to improve on that record, we'll do our best to help our readers in their quest of a profitable football handicapping season.

Denver and Baltimore are both coming off of their bye weeks.

The Broncos offense has been tough to defend this season because of their balance. QB Kyle Orton has thrown only one pick this year and has had at least a 92.1 QB rating in five of their six contests. The two-headed RB combo of Correll Buckhalter and Knowshon Moreno has been better than expected and should do well vs. a Ravens' run defense that has allowed back-to-back 100-yard rushers. Baltimore had a string of 35+ games of no 100-yard rushers. The pass defense has yielded several big plays and this has contributed to their three-straight losses. Denver's WRs and TEs have been the major beneficiaries of Orton's solid play. The Ravens have 14 sacks this season but haven't been the same defense without LB Bart Scott and Def. Co. Rex Ryan. Look for Orton to continue to get solid protection and to make plays.

Baltimore's offense is flourishing behind the passing of QB Joe Flacco and RB Ray Rice. Flacco has thrown 11 TD passes this season and shown good poise in the pocket. He will face the best pass rush in the league this week as Denver has totalled 21 sacks (10 by OLB Elvis Dumervil) and brought consistent pressure all year from their 3-4 defense. LT Jared Gaither (check status) has missed games this season and if he plays, will be matched up with Dumervil. There are definite questions here as to his ability to handle Dumervil's speed. Rice has been churning up the yards on the ground and also through the air. He leads the NFL with 766 yards from scrimmage and will certainly be a focus for Def. Co. Mike Nolan. If Denver can contain Rice on the ground, they'll be able to tee off on Flacco.

This is a matchup between two solid teams with one major difference: Denver has found a way to win close games while Baltimore has found ways to lose them. The Ravens have lost three-straight games by a total of 11 points. We like the Denver defense to keep Flacco and Rice in check and for Orton to take advantage of the weak corners of the Ravens They are also getting more than a FG here.

Additional Pro Football Picks
Other games selections that we like this week are listed below.

• NY Giants -1
• Green Bay -3