A December Saturday afternoon particular! The (9-5) Ravens v. the (10-4) Steelers at M&T Financial institution Stadium in one other epic rivalry showdown with huge playoff implications. The Ravens, who’re in search of their third-straight postseason berth, nonetheless have their sights set on the AFC North title regardless of being a recreation behind the Steelers who clinched a playoff spot final Sunday.
Saturday marks the second of three video games that each the Ravens and Steelers will play in 11 days, as every group will even play on Christmas simply 4 days later (Baltimore is at Houston, whereas Pittsburgh hosts Kansas Metropolis).
These rivals final met in Week 11, when the Steelers emerged with an 18-16 win at Acrisure Stadium. The Ravens search to finish a four-game skid vs. Pittsburgh, final successful in 2022.
• Kickoff: December 21, 2024, at 4:30PM, M&T Financial institution Stadium, Baltimore, MD• Betting Line: Ravens – 6 ½; over/underneath 44 1/2• Forecast at Kickoff: 35 levels; winds NW 20 MPH; wind chill 20 levels• Officiating Crew: Invoice Vinovich• On The Name: Kevin Burkhardt (PBP); Tom Brady (analyst); Erin Andrews (sideline); Tom Rinaldi (sideline)
Tony Lombardi
It’s time for the Ravens to get the monkey off their backs. All this exaggerated chatter about shedding 8 of the final 9 in opposition to the Steelers is outdated, drained and lazy. I’m speaking to you Kyle Brandt. Stick with your Indignant Runs and gradual your roll on the agenda pushed narratives. F.O.!
Ideas, and details, on the alleged Steelers-Ravens rivalry pic.twitter.com/MpbANNMIa4
• The Ravens v. Steelers matchups are nearly all the time one rating video games. However this one received’t be. Lamar Jackson has struggled in opposition to Pittsburgh however not this time. He’ll throw for 275 yards and a couple of scores and run for one more 50 yards whereas posting a passer score north of 130.
• Zay Flowers eclipses the 100-yard mark together with a TD catch from 40+ yards out.
• Isaiah Possible hauls in 4 passes for 60 yards and a rating
• The Ravens win the turnover battle 2-0 and so they’ll be penalized lower than the Steelers. Marlon Humphrey unleashes the fruit punch on Van Jefferson whereas Nate Wiggins will get the primary INT of his skilled profession.
105.7 The Fan’s Jason LaCanfora is enamored with the Steelers and the underneath on this one. That’s why it received’t occur.
Ravens 31 Steelers 17
[Related Article: Steelers at Ravens Keys to Victory]
Kevin McNelis
With a lot of the Daring Predictions items, the educated guesses made by our writers find yourself within the neighborhood barring a recreation stepping into a extremely loopy route. As everyone knows, although, any recreation in opposition to the Steelers in current historical past all the time accommodates some type of foolishness, making it extra of a crapshoot than ordinary.
Right here goes nothing:
-The Ravens aren’t the one ones with pricey accidents to grapple with, although. Each T.J. Watt and George Pickens are banged up going into this one, with Pickens having missed a number of practices whereas Watt was in a position to return in restricted vogue. Watt will play, however with Pickens listed as OUT, it’s an enormous blow to the Steelers offense. I count on that Nate Wiggins would’ve been in Pickens’ hip pocket all recreation if he was lively, however even with him not suiting up, Wiggins data his first profession decide. Pat Freiermuth leads the Steelers in catches, and Pittsburgh data lower than 60 yards on the bottom.
-In typical December climate for an AFC North showdown, it’s gonna be a chilly one. The temperature at kickoff goes to be hovering proper round freezing, which signifies that the sphere stage temp might be even decrease. Whereas Derrick Henry has struggled to take care of his dominance over the previous few weeks, this recreation will stand out because the one which reminds everybody why #22 signed right here. As this freezing recreation wears on, Henry wears the Steelers protection down and finally rips a run to the surface for 50+ yards and a landing, giving the Ravens all the momentum and sealing the deal.
This recreation may very nicely decide the destiny of the division. I count on the Ravens to play like it would.
Ravens 24 Steelers 13
Chad Racine
This recreation is the close to equal to a playoff recreation with the exception the Ravens usually are not eradicated altogether in the event that they lose. Nevertheless, it’s the one shot to win the division which is able to make a giant distinction within the playoff standings. I’ve believed all season that the Ravens are considerably higher than the Steelers, however solely one of many groups recurrently beats themselves. With George Pickens out and T.J. Watt at lower than 100%, this recreation needs to be a a lot simpler process to deal with. The Ravens want to chop down on the penalties and keep away from making main errors they need to have this recreation. For an early Christmas current I’d prefer to see Keaton Mitchell get his alternative as a result of I consider he may make such an explosive distinction within the offense.
– Lamar could have his greatest recreation in opposition to the Steelers taking part in balanced, working when the chance arises as nicely within the passing recreation. He’ll end just under Michael Vick‘s all-time dashing yards with simply shy of 100 yards and passing for 250 yards with 3 touchdowns.
– Isaiah Possible will rating a landing and have 60 receiving yards.
– Justice Hill could have a display move became a landing.
– Tylan Wallace could have the third of the landing passes.
– Roquan resembles 2023 Ro because the protection improves each week with an interception and two tackles for loss.
– Nate Wiggins could have an interception.
– Nnamdi Madubuike could have a sack-forced fumble (and not using a penalty), recovered by Chris Board.
Ravens 27 Steelers 17
Rob Shields
I’ve felt actually good about this recreation all week till yesterday, once we noticed that Rashod Bateman is in a strolling boot and Agholor continues to overlook apply with a concussion. Now, it’s potential that both or each play however I feel its unlikely.
My concern is that Lamar tries to do an excessive amount of, as he tends to do, on this recreation and never having his weapons hurts him.
The opposite facet to that is that the Ravens have seemingly been attempting to take some strain and hits off of Derrick Henry just lately and that he’s positioned to have a giant recreation.
The Steelers have dominated out Justin Fields and Pickens. For various causes, each of these are huge offers. Watt goes to play however DeShon Elliott seemingly received’t and he has been a key for them.
I feel the Ravens run it quite a bit, and I feel the enhancing protection does a great job in opposition to an offense that struggles with out Pickens.
Final week, the Steelers didn’t appear like they belonged on the identical subject because the Eagles and the Ravens ought to have crushed them again in November if Tucker makes kicks.
Additionally, Mike Tomlin has owned John Harbaugh recently. A number of the “1-8 in the last nine games” stuff is overrated. There’s quite a lot of context when it comes to accidents, the Covid Tuesday recreation, final yr not taking part in starters in a monsoon, and many others…however Tomlin’s groups have been harder and have crushed up on the Ravens and made the video games ugly. That’s what they need and Harbaugh has to indicate he can coach with Tomlin this week.
In a rivalry the place video games are nearly all the time inside 5 factors, I feel the Ravens win comparatively simply.
Ravens 24 Steelers 13
John Hughey
It’s exhausting to think about an everyday season matchup within the Lamar period with extra implications than this Saturday’s battle with the Steelers. It’ll be the primary dwelling Steelers recreation in entrance of a offered out crowd for Lamar since getting into the league in 2018. With hope nonetheless alive to take management of the North, the Ravens will want their most full recreation of the season, in the event that they count on to go away Saturday victorious. With Pittsburgh getting into Week 16 banged up, Baltimore ought to look to manage the bottom recreation and restrict the massive performs within the passing recreation.
— Zay Flowers passes the 84 yards wanted to safe his first 1k receiving season
— Jackson and Andrews proceed their connection, discovering the top zone collectively for the fifth time of their final six video games
— Baltimore exposes the Steelers’ lack of weapons with out Pickens, holding Russell Wilson to underneath 225 yards
— Nate Wiggins continues to make performs across the ball, choosing up his first profession INT
— After eight turnovers of their final 4 contests, the Ravens shield the ball this week successful the turnover battle 2:0
Ravens 20 Steelers 13
Darin McCann
It’s actually exhausting to not look again on the current historical past of this matchup and simply go forward and predict the Steelers will win this one in a hair-pulling, mind-exploding method — as a result of, nicely, that’s what occurs.
Nevertheless…
I do just like the Ravens right here. The lack of George Pickens to the Steelers offense takes away the specter of a downfield contested-catch man that has type of been the Ravens’ poison this season on protection. The Ravens have completed a pleasant job all season in opposition to the run, and sans Pickens, it appears to be like on paper like that’s going to must be the majority of the Steelers offense in the event that they hope to persistently rise up and down the sphere.
On offense, I’m not loopy in regards to the thought of the Ravens going off in opposition to this protection. I simply haven’t seen it on this period, and I’m not going to count on it this recreation, both. However they need to be capable to do sufficient to win this one.
Listed here are just a few predictions:
Kyle Hamilton has settled into the deep security position fairly nicely, tightening issues up on the again finish for the Ravens quite a bit. This week he takes a brand new step, and jumps just a few passes, leading to a pair of interceptions.
Isaiah Possible leads the group in receiving yards with 95, together with a landing.
Odafe Oweh notches a pair of sacks to get to double figures on the season.
Ravens 24 Steelers 16
Derek Arnold
Right here’s my conundrum: I refuse to choose the scumbags from Western PA to win this recreation. Nevertheless, till the Ravens and John Harbaugh show to me that they will ACTUALLY WIN THIS GAME, I can’t carry myself to consider they will.
So, via some ridiculous mixture of premature wind gusts, silly penalties, ridiculous turnover luck, working the “don’t block Watt” play on the worst potential second, and common tomfoolery, this results in a wholly new model of Ravens-Steelers torture: sister-kissing!
Ravens 17 Steelers 17
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