It always seems to be a tough, ugly, low-scoring game when the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens get together, and there is every reason to believe this game will provide more of the same. Despite a 5-7 record, the Steelers are almost a field-goal favorite for this game, with Lamar Jackson expected to miss the game with a strained PCL ligament in his knee.
Kickoff is set for 1 pm ET on Sunday from Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. The game will be televised on CBS.
The biggest reason the Steelers are a slight favorite in this game is the possibility that Jackson will miss the game after he injured his knee in Sunday’s win over the Denver Broncos. If he can’t go, backup Tyler Huntley will get the start. Huntley started the Week 18 game against the Steelers a year ago, with Pittsburgh winning in overtime to help secure its spot in the playoffs. It was Pittsburgh’s fourth consecutive win over the Ravens.
While the stakes are not quite as significant for this game, it still carries a lot of importance.
The Ravens play for the top spot in the AFC North and enter the week tied with Cincinnati at the top of the division. Their remaining schedule is far more favorable than the Bengals (while the two teams close out the regular season against each other in Week 18), but the injury to Jackson certainly changes things. They have also been trending in the wrong direction recently, barely beating bad Carolina and Denver teams and blowing another big lead to Jacksonville.
The Steelers, meanwhile, have won three out of their past four games and play a pretty favorable remaining schedule of their own. The running game has dramatically improved in the past few weeks, while rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett is starting to show some real progress. This is probably a must-have game if they want to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
Given the state of both offenses right now, the over/under for this game is set at 37 points, the lowest total on the NFL schedule this week and one of only two games (San Francisco–Tampa Bay being the other) set at under 40 points.
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(Photo of Tyler Huntley: Rob Carr/Getty Images)
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