With major postseason implications on the line, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens meet in an AFC East showdown. It is about that time to take a look at our NFL odds series where our Steelers-Ravens prediction and pick will be unveiled.

The Pittsburgh Steelers enter Week 18 of the NFL regular season with a 9-7 record and are currently tied with the Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts for the seventh and final AFC Wild Card spot. Not only do the Steelers have to win this game, but they also are going to need some help. Regardless, Pittsburgh has battled all year long including winning their last two games after dropping three straight.

With a good bulk of their starters expected to rest this one out with home-field advantage all but locked up in the AFC, the Ravens won't be as desperate as the Steelers are to put this one in the win column. Despite this, Baltimore's talent on this roster is elite and even the backups are capable of making some big-time plays on both sides of the ball. At 13-3 and having won six games in a row, this Baltimore squad is surely clicking on all cylinders.

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

NFL Odds: Steelers-Ravens Odds

Pittsburgh Steelers: -3.5 (-110)

Baltimore Ravens: +3.5 (-110)

Over: 36.5 (-112)

Under: 36.5 (-108)

*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why The Steelers Could Cover The Spread

With desperation at an all-time high and an insurmountable amount of drama specifically surrounding the quarterback position, the one consistent element behind it all is the greatness of head coach Mike Tomlin. Even though Pittsburgh has struggled to get back to contending status in the years of Big Ben and company, it is Tomlin's greatness again that is on full display. With the win over the Seattle Seahawks last weekend, it was once again the Steelers that will be finishing with a winning record under Tomlin at the helm. Alas, since taking over as head coach in 2007, Tomlin has never experienced a losing season.

Clearly, the stakes for Pittsburgh are the highest they've been all season long, and stability at the quarterback position will continue to be needed even if the Steelers are playing a Ravens squad without the services of their overwhelming star power. More specifically, can backup QB Mason Rudolph continue to gain distance from the rest of the quarterback pack? With back-to-back starts under his belt that both resulted in wins, it is hard to imagine that fellow signal-caller Kenny Pickett gets his job back any time soon with the possibility of the playoffs on the horizon. When looking at the stats, Pickett has only thrown for six touchdowns on the season and may not be the right man for the job at this given time.

If all else fails for Pittsburgh, they will need to rely on the running game offensively and also on their defense which ranks as the seventh-best unit in the league in points per game allowed. Without a doubt, the Steelers aren't an explosive team by any means, so dominating the time of possession while keeping the Ravens' backups out of the end zone will be critical.

Why The Ravens Could Cover The Spread

As it stands, the Ravens will have their hands full with a whole lot of new faces being thrust into the starting spotlight, but don't sleep on head coach John Harbaugh's troops to get the job done in a convincing fashion.

For starters, the Ravens love to pound the rock and rely on a running game that has found great success this season. Furthermore, with MVP front-runner in QB Lamar Jackson expected to sit this one out, the emphasis on the offensive side of the ball will be that much greater in pounding the rock down the throats of the Steelers. Indeed, the raw rushing numbers that Baltimore has presented thus far have been impressive, to say the least, which included averaging 5.0 yards per carry on 32 carries for 160 yards in their decisive win over the Dolphins. Once again, this needs to be a formula that is replicated to make life easier for backup QB Tyler Huntley who will most likely take over the starting quarterback reigns.

All in all, not many teams if any at all are as dynamic and sturdy then this Baltimore defense when it comes to keeping the opposition out of the end zone. Throughout the first 16 games of the season, it is the Ravens that rank at the tops of the National Football League as they allow only 16.4 points per game. Even more so, the Steelers struggle to score points as it is which should benefit the Ravens greatly.

Final Steelers-Ravens Prediction & Pick

It all comes down to this! With the AFC all but locked up, the Ravens are sitting pretty while it is the Steelers that are fighting for their playoff lives. With a high amount of desperation in the air, take Pittsburgh to do whatever it takes to clinch a playoff spot and stay alive in a hectic postseason race.

Final Steelers-Ravens Prediction & Pick: Steelers -3.5 (-110)