NFL 2013--HERE WE GO!! TALKING POINTS: Ravens @ Broncos

Dust off the chip-n-dip bowl, and shake the moth balls out of your jerseys!  The 2013 NFL season is here, and it marks the 48th since the advent of the Super Bowl and the 93rd since its inception.  Are you ready???

As a refresher.....

• Sound like an expert! Each week, I'll give you talking points for the big games everyone will be buzzing about.  
• Ladies! Look for my teaching points each week to get you caught up on the rules of the game that you either really wish you knew, or that you can pretend you know for the sake of your boyfriend/roommate/husband/parents/whomever around you obsesses about sports.
• Party tips finish off each post, because everyone needs party tips.

Baltimore Ravens (0-0) at Denver Broncos (0-0)
5:30pm PST/8:30pm EST on NBC

The defending Super Bowl XLVII Champion Baltimore Ravens kickoff the season on the road in the Mile High City, but it's hard to defend a title without the heart of your defense: retired spiritual leader, Ray Lewis (Miami), and vicious free safety, Ed Reed (Miami), who joined the Houston Texans' squad in the offseason. Denver is favored by 7.5 points at press time with an over/under at 48.5.

1.  QB Peyton Manning (Tenn) is looking for revenge after last year's AFC Championship loss in double overtime to the Ravens, 38-35.

2.  Denver WR Wes Welker (Texas Tech) will play tonight after suffering a mild ankle sprain in the preseason. Welker should be known for two things other than his amazing tenure with the New England Patriots:  a. marrying 2005 Miss Hooters International, Ana Burns, b. undergoing a successful hair transplant in Rhode Island in 2012. Well.....ok.

3.  Broncos' outside linebacker Von Miller (A&M) is serving a 6 game suspension for violating the NFL substance abuse policy. Miller was drafted no. 2 overall in the 2011 draft and has 30 career sacks already with 18.5 last season. That's a lot. He will be sorely missed by the Denver defense, as will Elvis Dumervil (Louisville), who is now sporting a Ravens jersey at the outside linebacker slot.

4.  The Ravens' offensive line took good care of Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco (Delaware) in 2012, and now they don't have to block Miller or Dumervil. Did you know that Flacco is the NFL's highest paid player with a 6-year, $120.6M contract AND that he married his high school sweetheart? Awwww.... here they are posing with the wedding party on their high school football field.

Many Vegas oddsmakers have the Broncos going all the way to the Super Bowl this year, but don't forget, the Ravens still have Flacco at QB and are facing a weakened Denver defense. Should be a heck of a game. 

Ground Rules pick:  Denver will win, but won't cover the spread.

Welcome back, football. We missed you.  

PARTY TIP!

Trim the ends of chives to make little footballs out of your grandma's deviled egg recipe!