Baltimore Ravens

Ravens at Steelers: Game preview, odds, prediction

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 5:21 p.m. ET

Fansided, James Dudko/Fansided

The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers meet for the AFC North title on Christmas Day. Here are the odds, plus a preview and prediction for Week 16’s game at Heinz Field.

The Baltimore Ravens know they must beat the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on Christmas Day to have a chance of securing the AFC North crown.

It won’t be easy, though, against a Steelers team enjoying an impressive run. The Steelers have won five straight, one reason why they are favored by the oddsmakers for Week 16.

Pittsburgh is tipped by five points, according to Odds Shark. The over/under is set at 44.5.

It makes sense the Steelers are favored. Their offense boasts the playmakers to put up points against anybody, even a defense as tough as the Ravens.

In fact, the Pittsburgh passing game could prove decisive this week. Baltimore’s best cornerback, Jimmy Smith, continues to miss practice and has been replaced by Shareece Wright, per Edward Lee of the Baltimore Sun.

Wright will be under pressure to shackle Antonio Brown, the NFL‘s best wide receiver. Brown usually draws a crowd, and Wright will need help if he’s going to keep him in check.

He should get it from cerebral veteran safety Eric Weddle. The 31-year-old must know where No. 84 lines up on every play.

But the more intriguing matchup to watch will be Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell going against a fearsome front seven. Few teams in the league boast the brawn and talent these Ravens field up front.

Tackles Timmy Jernigan and Brandon Williams are close to impossible to move inside. Meanwhile, bookend pass-rushers Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil set a hard edge in the running game.

If the Ravens can keep Bell boxed in, inside linebackers C.J. Mosley and Zach Orr will swarm to the ball and make the Steelers one-dimensional.

Of course, that plan will backfire if Suggs and Dumervil can’t keep shifty quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the pocket.

But Roethlisberger won’t be under as much pressure as his opposite number, Joe Flacco. The Ravens’ passer has virtually been the offense this season. Unfortunately, Baltimore’s O’ ranks 19th in points and 18th in yards.

Granted, Flacco hasn’t been helped by an anemic running game. Yet he shouldn’t expect Terrance West and rookie Kenneth Dixon to suddenly breakout this week. Not against a Steelers defense stingier on the ground in recent games, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Linebackers Ryan Shazier and Lawrence Timmons have been outstanding filling running lanes and chasing down ball-carriers. But the Ravens will need balance if they are going to win.

Without it, Baltimore’s misery on the road, per Dulac, is likely to continue:

There’s never much between the teams in this fierce rivalry. Baltimore’s D’ is playoff-caliber, but things are too predictable on the other side of the ball, where everything rests on the arm of Flacco.

By contrast, the Steelers possess a versatile and powerful offense supported by a sneaky good defense.

Pick: Steelers 20, Ravens 16