A pivotal AFC North showdown will be in the works on Sunday as the Baltimore Ravens get ready for a fierce clash with the Pittsburgh Steelers. It is time to check out our NFL odds series where our Ravens-Steelers prediction and pick will be revealed.

Coming into Week 5 of the NFL season, the Ravens have thus far lived up to expectations that were set during the offseason with a 3-1 record and sole possession of first place in the AFC South. All in all, Baltimore's one slip-up came against a much-improved Indianapolis squad in overtime but have taken care of business the rest of the time on the gridiron. Most recently, it was the Ravens that beat up on another fellow division rival in the Browns by a score of 28-3 as Baltimore doesn't look to be slowing down anytime soon.

Meanwhile, the Steelers are reeling a bit heading into this contest. With impressive back-to-back wins over the Browns and Raiders, the Steelers took a large step in the wrong direction after getting stomped by the surging Houston Texans by a score of 30-6. Still, Pittsburgh does happen to look improved in many areas this season as they are attempting to make the playoffs for the first time since 2021 when they lost in the Wild Card round.

Here are the Ravens-Steelers NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NFL Odds: Ravens-Steelers Odds

Baltimore Ravens: -4.5 (-110)

Pittsburgh Steelers: +4.5 (-110)

Over: 38 (-108)

Under: 38 (-112)

How to Watch Ravens vs. Steelers Week 5

Time: 1:00 pm ET/10:00 am PT

TV: CBS

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial), NFL Sunday Ticket if out-of-market

Why The Ravens Could Cover The Spread

Oddly enough, the Ravens have benefitted largely from the return of quarterback Lamar Jackson. All sarcasm aside, Lamar is back to being Lamar, and after dealing with a contract dispute and some lingering injuries a year ago, it appears that he has returned to his electric play with the hopes of leading his squad on a deep postseason run. While the season is still extremely young, to say that this humming offense has looked the part is a vast understatement.

Possibly, it's been this dynamic and sturdy defense that has impressed the most. The last time we saw them on the football field, they continuously harassed the Browns for three turnovers and even came away with a trio of sacks on the afternoon. Most importantly, it was this unit that kept Cleveland out of the end zone, and have not surrendered a touchdown defensively since the first half of their game against Indianapolis.

In addition, making a solid effort to dominate the time of possession and pound the rock down the throats of the Steelers should be a major recipe for success. Alas, Baltimore has averaged 151 rushing yards per game which is the fourth-best mark in football. Over the years, this has been a divisional matchup that gets incredibly physical, and it will be important for the Ravens to set the tone in this facet of the game early and often.

Why The Steelers Could Cover The Spread

Of course, the game of football often falls back on quarterback play, and as it stands, there is still a big question mark on whether or not QB Kenny Pickett will be available to play on Sunday after sustaining a gnarly knee injury that put a knot in the stomachs of Steelers fans everywhere. Before it was all said and done, it was Pickett who was forced to exit the contest against Houston with a deep bone bruise. Pickett has practiced all week with a large brace on that injured knee, and it seems like he is going to give it a go despite maybe not being close to 100%.

Since Pickett may not be himself on Sunday, the importance of finally getting RB Najee Harris going in the ground game seems like a smart idea. After offensive coordinator Matt Canada believed his team played soft offensively a week ago, getting Harris plenty of touches could pay off. So far, Harris has amassed only 210 yards rushing through four games, and implementing the former Alabama star more into the game plan moving forward needs to happen especially considering how banged up Kenny Pickett is. In order for Pittsburgh to cover in this one, then matching Baltimore's extremely physical play must be in the cards.

Final Ravens-Steelers Prediction & Pick

In strange fashion, Lamar Jackson has experienced his fair share of struggles against the Steelers in his career as he has happened to throw more interceptions than touchdowns and has never had a rushing score versus Pittsburgh. Then again, this one just has a different feel to it than previous matchups over the years. Above all else, the Steelers appear to be way too banged up in this one to compete even if Pickett is trending towards suiting up for play. Although anything can happen in a division game, siding with the Ravens seems like the move.

Final Ravens-Steelers Prediction & Pick: Ravens -4.5 (-110)