The Baltimore Ravens will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in one of the oldest rivalry games in the NFL on Sunday. It's time to continue our NFL odds series and make a Ravens-Steelers prediction and pick.
This AFC North matchup comes at an incredibly important time. Baltimore is coming off of a huge win against the Cleveland Browns, a victory that extended their lead in the division by a game. Another win against a divisional opponent would give the Ravens some cushion in one of the best divisions in football. The Steelers, on the other hand, need a win here just to remain in playoff contention. Pittsburgh has struggled in multiple areas throughout the season, and that's reflected in their 5-5-1 record. Head coach Mike Tomlin's squad can't afford to lose this contest, so expect a highly competitive matchup.
For more insight on the Ravens-Steelers matchup in Week 13, listen below:
Here are the Ravens-Steelers odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Ravens-Steelers Odds
Baltimore Ravens: -4.5 (-114)
Pittsburgh Steelers: +4.5 (-106)
Over: 44 (-110)
Under: 44 (-110)
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Why The Ravens Could Cover The Spread
To be frank, Pittsburgh's offense is one of the most disappointing units in the NFL. Their troubles start along the offensive line, where they struggle to protect quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and to open up running lanes. The Ravens have been fantastic at getting to opposing signal-callers recently, as Baltimore is averaging over three sacks per game in their last three contests. To make things even better, Baltimore has been one of the best run defenses in the NFL. They allow a mere 84 yards per game to opposing ground attacks, an insane number that indicates a level of play more than good enough to stop the Steelers. Pittsburgh should have a tough time getting the offense going here.
While their overall record is decent, the Steelers have been one of the worst teams in the NFL when it comes to covering the spread. The Steelers are 4-7 ATS on the year, but that number gets even worse when looking at this matchup. Pittsburgh has been surprisingly poor at covering when they play at Heinz Field, as they're a horrific 1-5 ATS on their home turf. The Steelers are also 1-3 against the spread when they're coming off of a loss like they are here.
Injuries will also play a factor here. Roethlisberger will likely be questionable for this contest, and superstar edge rusher TJ Watt should be on the COVID list on Sunday. Steelers' starting cornerback Joe Haden is also unlikely to play here. The last time that Pittsburgh played this thin on defense, they allowed 41 points to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Why The Steelers Could Cover The Spread
The Ravens have struggled mightily on offense for the better part of the last month. In their last three contests, Baltimore's offense has only managed to combine for a measly 42 points. That's including a ten-point performance against the Miami Dolphins in which the Ravens were embarrassed on national television and a four-interception game from Lamar Jackson that came against Cleveland. In that same game, the Browns only allowed 16 points. This offense is clearly having some trouble moving the ball, and now they face a tough Pittsburgh unit.
The Ravens entered the season with a laundry list of injuries, and that's continued throughout the season. Baltimore's injury report is a mile long this week, and it includes several key players. Starting offensive linemen Bradley Bozeman and Patrick Mekhari have both missed practices this week, along with cornerbacks Tavon Young and Anthony Averett. There's no chance that the Ravens are fully healthy here.
Final Ravens-Steelers Prediction & Pick
This is a fairly simple pick. Pittsburgh just flat out hasn't been good lately, and now they face a Baltimore team that's coming off of a huge win on national television. Take the more talented team in the Ravens and don't look back.
Final Ravens-Steelers Pick: Baltimore Ravens: -4.5 (-114)
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