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The Baltimore Ravens look like one of the best teams in the AFC this season. Baltimore is 9-5 heading into Week 16 and is in a tight race with Pittsburgh for the AFC North division title. Both teams are likely to make the playoffs in the AFC, but whichever team comes out of the regular season on top will have home field advantage as bragging rights.
The Ravens have one of the most dangerous offenses in the NFL. Lamar Jackson is playing at an MVP level and Derrick Henry is the perfect backfield mate for him. Opposing defenses have to defend every blade of grass against the Ravens, and it is often still not enough. Baltimore also has a solid defense that has a ton of talent, including players like Roquan Smith and Kyle Hamilton.
Next up for Baltimore is what could become their most important game of the regular season. The Ravens take on the Steelers in a game that has the potential to decide the winner of the AFC North division. Baltimore does not guarantee a division title with a win, but they will hand the title to Pittsburgh with a loss.
Can the Ravens get a big win against the Steelers, catapulting them towards the top of the AFC North standings? Or will Baltimore blow its best shot at winning the division and settle for a wild card berth?
Below are three Ravens bold predictions ahead of their important Week 16 divisional matchup against the Steelers.
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Lamar Jackson throws his fourth interception of the year, but shreds Steelers defense
Jackson has come very close to having a perfect season in 2024.
The superstar quarterback has thrown for 3,580 yards with 34 touchdowns and only three interceptions so far this season. If you look at the tape for those interceptions, you'll understand that they were fluky plays as well.
Jackson is also as productive as he's ever been as a runner, which makes him dangerous on every single play.
I see Pittsburgh forcing a mistake or two out of Jackson in this game. However, he will still have an impressive statistical game and lead the Ravens to a big win.
My prediction: Jackson throws one interception against the Steelers, only his fourth of the entire season. However, Jackson also shreds Pittsburgh's defense for over 400 total yards of offense. Let's earmark at least 50 of those as rushing yards.
Derrick Henry scores twice, clinches best rushing season since 2020
Everyone knows that Derrick Henry is having an excellent 2024 campaign.
Henry has changed the face of Baltimore's offense just by joining the team. Opposing defenses cannot guard against the Ravens the same way they used to before Henry came along. If they use extra defenders to account for Lamar Jackson's rushing ability, that gives Henry a better chance to do some damage. It also leaves opponents vulnerable to the play-action pass.
I believe that Henry will have a productive game just in time for the second round of the fantasy football playoffs. He will also pass an impressive statistical threshold for the first time in several seasons.
My prediction: Henry will score at least two touchdowns on Sunday, whether that is rushing or receiving. He will also logg at least 67 rushing yards. This would give Henry his second-highest rushing total of his career, behind only the 2020 season when he went crazy for 2,027 yards.
Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely make it look easy against Pittsburgh's defense
If the Steelers are preoccupied with stopping Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson, that should open things up for the Ravens' tight ends.
Baltimore would be wise to threaten Pittsburgh with their running game early and often. Once they establish that the running game is working, Isaiah Likely and Mark Andrews can begin feasting in the passing game.
This prediction assumes that this game has a similar rhythm and strategy to the last time these two teams played in November. In that game, Isaiah Likely was the leading receiver for the Ravens. What's more, over 60% of the total yardage from that game came from only a handful of sources. They were either rushing yards from Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry or receiving yards from Isaiah Likely or Mark Andrews.
I believe that Baltimore has a great chance to win this game if they stick to some football fundamentals. Establish the run, use play-action, and stop the opposing quarterback.
My prediction: Andrews and Likely will combine for more receiving yards than whoever the top two targets are for Pittsburgh. There are a few different ways this prediction could hit, which is what makes me willing to go there. Either way, Andrews and Likely need to ball out on Sunday.
