Week 8: Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens

The undefeated Denver Broncos head in to a tough Baltimore Ravens team whose record does not give the team the respect they deserve. The Broncos are sitting with 6-0 record and just coming off a bye week in preparation to defend their outstanding start to the season. The Ravens are currently third in the AFC North at 3-3 but are one of the most explosive teams in the league, but will the top ranked Broncos defense shakeup the young Joe Flacco and continue their siege through the league?

This is the Broncos best start since the 1998 Super Bowl run they had with John Elway in which they started 13-0 and ended the season 14-2. That Broncos team was 8^th in the NFL in total defense, the team this year is sitting in 1^st but their weakness is on the offensive side of the ball with only 22.2 points per game, 17^th in the NFL. The Ravens offense will be a tough test for this stout Denver defense. Baltimore is averaging 28.2 points per game, 5^th in the NFL and 3^rd in the AFC, but what is the most impressive aspect of the Baltimore team is the balance on the offensive side of the ball ranking 8^th in passing yards with 268.3 yards per game and 10^th in rushing with 124.8 yards per game. The Denver team will have their first true defensive test this Sunday with this Raven team. I think Baltimore has a bit of and edge in this game. Joe Flacco is young but so is Kyle Orton, who has the weaker arm out of the two quarterbacks. Orton has been extremely accurate this season but with the ball hawking Ravens defense watch out for at least a couple interceptions. Knowshon Moreno is a good young rookie but has not had his explosive game this year, but do not look for it this game. Raven running back, Ray Rice, will have a big game totaling over 100 yards and quarterback Joe Flacco will have a quite, but effective game with a touchdown and no interceptions. Watch for only two undefeated teams after week 8 of the NFL season. The Broncos will finally lose this week but it will be a close game.

Denver Broncos 17 vs. Baltimore Ravens 23

Stats

Baltimore

Joe Flacco

215yards 1td 0ints

Ray Rice

112yards 1td

Broncos

Kyle Orton

258yards 1td 2ints

Knowshon Moreno

68yards 1td

http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/player/_/stat/passing

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/den/1998.htm

http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/total/sort/rushingYardsPerGame