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The 6-0 Pittsburgh Steelers will face the 5-1 Baltimore Ravens in Week 8 in a battle of two AFC North teams.
The Steelers are the only undefeated team left in the NFL after defeating the Tennessee Titans in Week 7 and watching the Seattle Seahawks fall to the Arizona Cardinals in overtime.
The Ravens, meanwhile, had Week 7 off as their bye week. They enter the Steelers game on a three-game winning streak. Baltimore has defeated the Washington Football Team, Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3.
With the Steelers-Ravens game almost here, let's take a look at four bold predictions for the contest from a Pittsburgh point of view.
1. Ben Roethlisberger continues torrid start to the season
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been a man on a mission early on in the 2020 season. After only playing in two games in 2019 due to a serious elbow injury that required surgery, Roethlisberger has returned with a vengeance this campaign.
Entering the Ravens game, Roethlisberger has thrown for 1,446 yards and 13 touchdowns while completing 68.2 percent of his passes. Big Ben has only thrown four picks and is toying with defensive linemen in the pocket as he's done throughout his Hall of Fame career.
Against the Ravens, look for Roethlisberger to continue his stellar start to the season. While Baltimore is only giving up 17.3 points per game on the season—No. 1 in the NFL—Roethlisberger has a history of playing well against the Ravens. He's faced them 23 times in his career, compiling a record of 13-10 while throwing 37 touchdowns.
After what happened last season, Roethlisberger is clearly motivated to show everyone that he's still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
2. Chase Claypool catches three touchdowns
Steelers rookie wide receiver Chase Claypool was brought back down to earth in Week 7 against the Titans. He only had one catch for -2 yards after recording 17 receptions for 335 yards and four touchdowns during the first five weeks of the season.
Against the Ravens, look for Claypool to have a monster game and remind everyone why he's a special talent. Roethlisberger only targeted the youngster once in the Titans game. That will likely change against the Ravens since it's a divisional game with a lot at stake for both teams.
While the Ravens have a stout defense and this is the first time Claypool will participate in the Pittsburgh-Baltimore rivalry, these are called bold predictions for a reason. With that being said, we have Claypool scoring three touchdowns against the Ravens and putting on a show for Steelers Nation.
3. Steelers intercept Lamar Jackson twice
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is the reigning MVP of the league. He's only thrown two interceptions on the season, but the Ravens' passing game hasn't been all that explosive.
Against a tough Steelers defense, look for Jackson to make some errant throws and get picked off twice. In three career games against the Steelers, Jackson has thrown for 173 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. The explosive playmaker may have a few solid runs here and there, but overall, Pittsburgh's defense should be able to keep him under control in the passing game.
The Steelers are only allowing 19.7 points per game on the season, while the Ravens are 31st in the NFL in passing yards per game. Things are set up for Pittsburgh to make life tough on Jackson in Week 8.
4. Steelers defeat Ravens to improve to 7-0
Since the Ravens had Week 7 off and their offense is struggling to pass the ball, look for the Steelers to win this game and improve to an impressive 7-0 on the season. Pittsburgh is coming off a huge road win against the Titans, proving that their early hot start to the season was no fluke.
This is likely going to be a close game since divisional rivals always play each other well. Roethlisberger, though, has just been dealing on offense in his return and he's got Claypool and JuJu Smith-Schuster to throw the ball to, two dynamic receivers who can make plays all over the field.
The Ravens said they were going to use their bye week to fix their passing issues. However, the Steelers are in a nice rhythm right now on both sides of the ball and will likely challenge Jackson to beat them with his arm.
The Steelers look like legitimate title contenders right now. Look for them to send a message to the league that the Chiefs aren't the only elite team in the AFC. Back-to-back wins over the Titans and Ravens would certainly show the Chiefs that the Steelers are a serious contender to take their AFC crown.
