Pittsburgh hosts Baltimore at Heinz Field for a 4:30 p.m. contest on Christmas.
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The Baltimore Ravens will beat the Pittsburgh Steelers if the right Baltimore Ravens team shows up.
Let’s look at the Ravens scenarios going forward. Baltimore needs to top Pittsburgh, then win in Cincinnati on New Year’s Day to return to the postseason after missing out in 2015.
Now, they have a defense capable of matching the Ravens big play for big play. If Pittsburgh does go on to achieve everything it’s eligible for over the final two weeks, this would most-likely set up a wild card match-up against the Dolphins, followed by a trip to either Kansas City or Oakland for the divisional round.
The Ravens didn’t get a Christmas gift from the Buffalo Bills this weekend. Baltimore is still looking for their own chance to win the division, which is something they haven’t won since 2012. I’m thinking 28-10, with the Steelers scoring four touchdowns and Mike Tomlin going 2-of-4 on two-point conversation attempts because he just can’t help himself. Brown has been held to 66.9 receiving yards per game by Baltimore – which is 17 yards fewer than his average against the rest of the NFL.
The Ravens beat the Steelers earlier this season, 21-14, and are 11-9, including the playoffs, against the Steelers since John Harbaugh became coach in 2008.
The Steelers and Ravens meet on Sunday in their most important game of the season.
However, Flacco seems to be at his best when the stakes are high. Don’t be surprised if the Steelers once again get Bell involved heavily as a receiver. That means not turning it over, but it also means getting long drives out of the offense led by Ben Roethlisberger.
“It is not about being comfortable there or not being comfortable there”, said quarterback Joe Flacco, who is a respectable 5-6 in Pittsburgh.
Baltimore is 28th in the National Football League in rushing yards and 25th in rushing touchdowns.
Burns has a team-leading three interceptions along with 49 tackles and 12 passes defensed.
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Baltimore has won the last four meetings in this series, and six of the last seven. Playing at home this time, Pittsburgh is favored by more than five points. That was Roethlisberger’s first game back from a knee injury, and the Steelers were committed to running the ball and keeping Roethlisberger’s knee healthy.
