The Baltimore Ravens have won four of their last five games heading into this weekend, but they're reeling from the knee injury sustained by star quarterback Lamar Jackson. Despite that, the Ravens hope they can still pull out a win as they face the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road in Week 14 of the 2022 NFL season. A win here will help them stay in first place in the AFC North and keep the Cincinnati Bengals at bay. Here are our Ravens Week 14 predictions as they take on the Steelers.
Even as late as the fourth quarter of last week's game against the Broncos, the Ravens' season appeared to be out of control. However, backup quarterback Tyler Huntley was able to keep the offense afloat. His unexpectedly steady play helped the Ravens survive that low-scoring affair.
This is going to be an interesting weekend in the AFC North. Keep in mind that Baltimore is still ahead of Cincinnati, but each club has a completely different potential trajectory for the coming weeks. The Bengals have won four straight games and are coming off a hard-fought victory over the Chiefs. Meanwhile, the Ravens have recently lost starting quarterback Lamar Jackson. The Ravens have the odds stacked against them when it comes to keeping the top spot in their division.
With all these in mind, here are our four bold predictions for the Ravens in their Week 14 game against the Steelers.
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4. Kenyan Drake scores a TD
Last week against the Broncos, Baltimore RB Kenyan Drake had more carries than Gus Edwards but fewer than Tyler Huntley. Drake finished with a total of 46 yards on seven running attempts and two catches.
He led the backfield in snap share (47 percent) and was the team's most efficient running back overall. He outran Edwards by 17 yards on one more carry. After Jackson went down with a knee injury, however, the offense altered. Huntley eventually led the club in rushing. Drake was the top back on Sunday, and though Edwards could push for the starting job as he nears 100 percent, we still feel Drake gets more workload. We have him finding the endzone in Week 14.
3. Mark Andrews takes over the offense
Since his injury woes a few weeks ago, Ravens TE Mark Andrews has been relatively quiet. Still, he's put together a string of games with four catches and at least 50 yards. That includes 4 receptions for 53 yards last week against the Broncos. Andrews had no trouble producing last year with Huntley at quarterback, so the quarterback situation should be no problem for him in Week 14.
He will also face a Steelers defense that is pretty good in terms of limiting opposing tight ends this week. Regardless of the opponent, though, Andrews should still be the Ravens' top receiving target in Week 14. While his recent weeks have been disappointing, his goal share should lead to productivity at some point. We have him taking over the offense and delivering one of his best games of the season. He should get triple-digit yards and a touchdown here.
Mandrewzzzz pic.twitter.com/fY4jTZckTB
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) December 7, 2022
2. Tyler Huntley starts at QB
Star QB Lamar Jackson suffered a knee strain against Denver on Sunday and is listed as “week-to-week.” That means Tyler Huntley will get the start in a crucial divisional showdown against the Steelers.
Huntley stepped in last week against the Broncos, throwing for 187 yards and an interception. He did, though, add 41 yards and a score on the ground. With Jackson anticipated to miss at least a few games, we will look to Huntley for production. That's not the worst thing in the world since he has proven that when given the chance, he can deliver. Remember that he was among the better quarterbacks in the final five games of the 2021 season.
This week, Huntley faces a Steelers defense that has been more successful lately against opposing QBs. Furthermore, the Steelers forced two interceptions from Huntley in their previous meeting in the 2021 season finale. Huntley will likely have to rely on his running to pad his production as he makes his first start of this season.
1. Ravens still win over Steelers
The Steelers have been weak against opposing passing games this season, as they allow the fifth-most passing yards per game. This would normally be advantageous for Huntley starting in the next game, but a couple of the Ravens' top receiving weapons are banged up. Keep in mind also that they rank among the lowest teams in the league in terms of passing yards per game.
The strength of the Ravens' offense is in their running game, but the Steelers have been successful in shutting down the ground attack this season. The Steelers are allowing only 107.5 rushing yards on average, and this will be a test of who can dominate in this aspect of the game. This is the key for the Ravens to win this matchup.
Winning at the line of scrimmage and consistently gaining a high yards-per-carry average will be crucial for Baltimore. If they're successful there, they can open things up for Huntley and the passing game. We're confident the Ravens can pull it off and get an important W over the Steelers.
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