Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
NFL Week 16 preview
BALTIMORE (8-6) AT PITTSBURGH (9-5) Sunday, 4:30 p.m., NFL Network OPENING LINE: Steelers by 6½ SERIES: Steelers, 24-21 LAST MEETING: Ravens, 21-14, Nov. 6 RAVENS OFFENSE: OVERALL (18), RUSH (28), PASS (11) RAVENS DEFENSE: OVERALL (5), RUSH (2), PASS (10) STEELERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (7), RUSH (12T), PASS (5) STEELERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (8), RUSH (5), PASS (14) FANTASY TIP: If you’re in championship game, might want to start Ben Roethlisberger. Last time he faced Ravens at home with RB Le’Veon Bell and WR Antonio Brown in lineup, he threw for 340 yards and six touchdowns on Nov. 2, 2014. ETC.: Steelers can clinch AFC North with win. Ravens can win division by beating Steelers and winning next week in Cincinnati . ... Ravens have won four straight and six of seven in series . ... Teams have combined to win 10 of 14 AFC North titles since division was formed in 2002 . ... Ravens have dropped four straight road games . ... Baltimore QB Joe Flacco needs 390 yards to break Vinny Testaverde’s single-season passing record (4,177 yards) set in 1996 . ... Ravens LB Terrell Suggs has collected 141/2 of his 1141/2 career sacks against Steelers . ... Baltimore K Justin Tucker’s 33 FGs lead NFL. He’s made Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown leads the AFc with 96 receptions. 10 field goals of 50 yards or more, tied for most in league history . ... Steelers’ current five-game winning streak is longest since 2009 . ... Steelers are 13-2 in December games since 2013 . ... Roethlisberger needs two TD passes to tie John Elway for ninth all-time (300). Roethlisberger is eight completions away from passing Testaverde for 10th all-time (3,787) . ... Bell has at least 100 scrimmage yards in six straight games.
FANTASY TIP: Julio Jones had 300 yards receiving in last meeting against Panthers. ETC.: Falcons Matt Ryan has 17 TD passes and three INTs in past seven road games . ... Ryan leads NFL with 114.8 QB rating. ... Panthers QB Cam Newton has 1,093 yards passing and 10 TDs in past four home games . ... Greg Olsen needs 8 yards receiving to become first NFL TE with three straight 1,000-yard seasons. ... Since 2014, Olsen leads TEs in receptions (232) and yards receiving (3,104).
FANTASY TIP: RB Jordan Howard could be good option with Redskins allowing 4.5 yards per carry — 28th in league. ETC.: Redskins have won six straight against Chicago . ... Redskins LB Ryan Kerrigan third in NFC with 11 sacks; CB Josh Norman third in NFL with 44 passes defended since 2014 . ... Howard second among rookies with 1,059 yards . ... Bears’ Cameron Meredith has 15 catches for 176 yards over past two games. ... LB Jerrell Freeman back from four-game suspension.