Ravens (3-1) at Steelers (2-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh
TV: CBS
Spread (BetMGM):
Ravens by 4.5
Ravens’ keys to victory: For Baltimore, it is all about QB Lamar Jackson. He’s having an excellent season and the Steelers defense can’t seem to stop anyone. The Ravens have struggled to run the football, but this could be the game when they turn it around against a struggling Steelers run defense. The Ravens should let Jackson do his thing with his legs and his feet to wear down Pittsburgh’s struggling defensive front.
Steelers’ keys to victory: The Steelers seem to have no answers for how to fix either side of the line of scrimmage. An injury to QB Kenny Pickett just adds to the problem for an offense that is on pace to only score 17 touchdowns this season. Pittsburgh’s offensive line has to dig deep and create consistent opportunities for RBs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. If the Steelers cannot run the ball, it won’t matter whether Pickett or QB Mitch Trubisky is under center.
Matchup to watch: Pittsburgh LBs T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith vs. Ravens offensive line. The Texans offensive line found a way to neutralize the Steelers’ top edge rushers in Week 4, and once that happens, the rest of the defense has just folded. Watt and Highsmith will be doing everything in their power to make a point.
Who wins? These teams are coming into this game from completely different directions. You’d think playing in Pittsburgh would benefit the Steelers, and they have had overall success against Jackson. But the entire Steelers team is in disarray, even if this group typically bounces back after a big loss.
Ravens 31-17