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Steelers vs. Ravens Early Picks, Predictions & Odds for Week 16

Andrew Brennan

Last Updated: December 17, 2024 1:21 PM EST • 4 min 9 sec read.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson drops back to pass against the New York Giants, as we offer our best Steelers vs. Ravens early picks.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson drops back to pass against the New York Giants. Photo by Vincent Carchietta via Imagn Images.

We have a massive AFC North showdown on Saturday afternoon as the Baltimore Ravens look to avenge their Week 11 defeat when they serve as 6-point home favorites against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Our best NFL betting sites are showing a lot of faith in a Ravens team that couldn't get the job done when these teams met in mid-November. For whatever reason, Baltimore essentially abandoned the run during that Week 11 loss, with Derrick Henry getting only 13 carries to Lamar Jackson's wildly inefficient 33 pass attempts.

That's a mistake I don't think we see the home favorites make again, which is why I'm backing them with my Steelers vs. Ravens early picks.

The Steelers managed only 303 total yards of offense in that victory and didn't score a touchdown, as Chris Boswell accounted for all 18 points. Without George Pickens, Pittsburgh put forth an even more abysmal effort (163 yards) in its Week 15 game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Meanwhile, the Ravens destroyed the lowly New York Giants after their bye, so these teams enter what should be a very chippy game in very different states.

Can the Ravens get revenge for their Week 11 loss, or do Mike Tomlin and the Steelers have their number? We're looking at this game and much more as part of our NFL Week 16 predictions.

My early Steelers vs. Ravens prediction: Ravens -6

NFL picks made Tuesday; odds subject to change. Our NEW NFL player prop odds tool can help you find the best odds on any market across legal sportsbooks in your area!

Prediction: Ravens -6

Best odds: -110 via BetMGM | Implied probability: 52.38%

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The Ravens have made a habit this season of losing to teams they probably shouldn't, but I'm hoping head coach John Harbaugh prepared Baltimore to put those worries to rest during the bye.

Regardless of what the standings show - the Steelers lead the AFC North at 10-4 - these teams aren't in the same league. The Ravens are legitimate Super Bowl odds contenders while the Steelers are just playing dress-up. 

Russell Wilson isn't good, and he's even worse when Pickens is sidelined. If the star wide receiver can't return from his hamstring injury, it'll be another tough outing for the quarterback. Meanwhile, the Steelers could also be shorthanded on defense, as NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds favorite T.J. Watt may miss the contest with an ankle injury.

I make the Ravens as touchdown favorites at home even if both Pickens and Watt are active, so I'm fine betting on them to cover this smaller spread early in the week. I'm particularly interested in acting quickly because our best sports betting sites could move the Ravens past the key number of 6.5 if Watt and/or Pickens are ruled out.

With this game being played one day earlier on Saturday, there's an increased risk that Pittsburgh could be without two of its stars. Regardless of that, though, I expect a big day from Jackson, who remains a potential NFL MVP odds contender after winning it last year.

A Steelers defense that was particularly stingy when these teams squared off in November just gave up a big passing day to Jalen Hurts on the road, and I think we see a similar performance from Jackson in this island game.

Don't miss our guide for how to bet on NFL or this week's best sportsbook promos.

Steelers vs. Ravens live odds

  See the NFL odds from our best NFL betting sites for every Week 16 game.  

Steelers vs. Ravens injuries

Moneyline

Our best sports betting apps are mostly aligned on the moneyline odds for these teams, with the Ravens trading at a price associated with roughly a 75% implied probability that they'll win outright.

We could see this number move shorter than -300 if the aforementioned injured Steelers are ruled out, though I wouldn't bet on the Ravens at this price, anyway. Rather, if you're looking to back the Steelers on the moneyline, you may be best served waiting until we have more information or potentially a better price.

Spread

  • Ravens best odds: -6 (-110) via BetMGM
  • Steelers best odds: +6 (-108) via DraftKings

As previously mentioned, this is the bet I'm making early in the week as a Ravens backer.

This spread is already 6.5 at FanDuel, with most of our best sportsbooks opening with the Ravens hovering around -5. Let's hit this before it moves past the key number and we need more than a touchdown to cover.

Over/Under

I'm mostly indifferent on this total, as we never really know which Steelers team will show up week to week. 

Sure, they looked terrible on offense in each of the last two weeks, but they also didn't do a particularly good job of stopping the Eagles or Cleveland Browns from scoring. And we're only three weeks removed from the Steelers-Bengals 81-point shootout.

Meanwhile, the Ravens have scored 30-plus points in eight games this year, and if they learn from the Week 11 defeat, we could see them once again find the end zone for fun at home against Pittsburgh.

How to watch Steelers vs. Ravens

  • When: Saturday, Dec. 21
  • Kickoff: 4:30 p.m. ET
  • Where: M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore)
  • How to watch: FOX
  • Weather: 36 degrees, 0% chance of precipitation, wind 14 mph NW
  • Favorite: Ravens -6 (-110 via BetMGM)

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Written By:
Andrew Brennan
Andrew Brennan is a publishing editor for Sportsbook Review. He also heads the website’s MLB coverage, from the various futures markets to daily picks. Andrew believes a math-based approach is the best way to enjoy long-term success in sports betting, and he’s spent the better part of the last year fine-tuning his own process for MLB, NBA, and NFL picks. Andrew uses eight different sportsbooks to find the best odds available and various projection models to gather as much information as he can. His most used sportsbooks are bet365, FanDuel, and theScore Bet. When it comes to daily projection models, he regularly references NumberFire across all sports, as it’s one of the best free tools available. In terms of which daily markets Andrew attacks, he almost exclusively bets on pitcher strikeouts for baseball. When the winter rolls around, you’ll see him providing more variety when it comes to the NBA (points, assists, rebounds) and NFL (almost any offensive-based player prop). He used these tools to go +150 units in 2023. Andrew is also a passionate fantasy sports player. He’s played fantasy football, fantasy Premier League, and fantasy baseball for the last decade. He graduated from Durham College with his diploma in journalism after earning his degree in law from Carleton University. He’s worked in sports media since early 2017, first contributing at FanSided before moving to theScore. He joined SBR in 2022.