AFC North rivals will meet in the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs, as the Baltimore Ravens host the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. These teams finished first and second in their division this year, with the Ravens earning home-field advantage in this game by finish ahead of Pittsburgh. Baltimore is an 8.5-point favorite going into this game, with the total being set at 46.5 points.
Continue reading to get our preview of Steelers vs Ravens in Wild Card weekend. Here, you will find our keys to this game, along with our top pick in the betting markets for the game. Using data-driven NFL betting strategies, you can rest assured that our prediction is backed by numbers, not emotions.
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Steelers Look to Upset Rival Ravens
The Pittsburgh Steelers go into the playoffs on a four-game losing streak, with their most recent loss coming at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals at home in Week 18. That losing streak resulted in the Steelers losing out on the AFC North title and dropping into sixth place in the AFC going into the postseason. Now, NFL betting sites have the Steelers as sizable underdogs against their hated rivals.
Going into this game, the Steelers and Ravens have split their regular season series, with each team holding serve at home. That could be a problem for Pittsburgh, who is the road team for this rubber match between these teams. If Pittsburgh wants to buck that trend and win on the road, they will need to find a spark offensively, after being held to 17 or fewer points in four straight games.
Ravens Looking For Postseason Success
The Baltimore Ravens have been one of the best teams in football since drafting Lamar Jackson to play quarterback for them. But their success has not continued into the postseason, as Jackson and the Ravens have been taken down short of the Super Bowl year after year. This year, the Ravens will look to reach their first Super Bowl of the Lamar Jackson era, as they start the playoffs as favorites at home on Wild Card weekend.
Jackson has had a historic season for the Ravens, making plays both with his arm and with his legs on a consistent basis. But Jackson is just 2-4 in his career in the playoffs, throwing six touchdowns and six interceptions in those six games. Jackson will be expected to take care of business here against an inferior opponent, but there are no guarantees of that given his playoff history.
Steelers vs Ravens Wild Card Prediction
Our best bet for Steelers vs Ravens in the Wild Card round is for the Baltimore Ravens to win and cover the spread as a home favorite. Pittsburgh is playing its worst football of the season at the worst possible time. While Baltimore’s season will be judged on how they play in the playoff rounds after this, they will build some much-needed postseason confidence by winning big over the rival Steelers.
