Baltimore Ravens (12-5) vs Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
Game Info: Saturday, January 11, 2025 at 8:00 pm (M&T Bank Stadium)
The Line: Betting Odds: Baltimore Ravens -9.5 / Pittsburgh Steelers +9.5 — Over/Under: 46
The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens meet Sunday in NFL Wild Card Round playoffs action from M&T Bank Stadium. Here’s a Pittsburgh Steelers vs Baltimore Ravens prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Steelers vs Ravens pick. We will examine:
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ recent form and player performance
The Baltimore Ravens’ recent form and player performance
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Pittsburgh Steelers
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Baltimore Ravens
Recent betting trends in games played between the Steelers and Ravens
A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Steelers vs Ravens game
Pittsburgh Steelers Betting Preview
The Steelers got off to a nice start this year and took out the Falcons, Broncos, and Chargers in their first three games. After that came consecutive losses to the Colts and Cowboys, but Pittsburgh quickly recovered from there with wins over the Raiders, Jets, and Giants. Following their bye week, the Steelers went 4-1 over the next five games with a lone loss to the Browns between wins over the Commanders, Ravens, Bengals, and Browns. Pittsburgh skidded into the postseason on a four-game losing streak, however. Those defeats came at the hands of the Eagles, Ravens, Chiefs, and Bengals for a 10-7 overall record this season.
In the Bengals game back on Saturday, the Steelers came into the fourth quarter looking at a 16-7 deficit. Pittsburgh posted 10 points from there but still lost a close one 19-17 in the end. QB Russell Wilson finished with 148 yards and a touchdown. Najee Harris added 36 yards and a score off 12 carries, and Pat Freiermuth put up eight catches for 85 yards and a touchdown as the lead receiver. Mike Williams also notched a 25-yard catch in the loss.
Baltimore Ravens Betting Preview
Over on the Ravens’ side, they lost a couple of games right out of the gate versus the Chiefs and Raiders this year but quickly recovered. Baltimore won the next five over the Cowboys, Bills, Bengals, Commanders, and Buccaneers before another loss to the Browns. The Ravens went into the bye on a 3-2 run with wins over the Broncos, Bengals, and Chargers alongside losses to the Steelers and Eagles. In the last four games, Baltimore has taken out the Giants, Steeles, Texans, and Browns though, resulting in a 12-5 overall record this year.
Matched up against Cleveland on Saturday, the Ravens came out of halftime with a 14-3 edge and didn’t let up after that. In the second Baltimore scored 21 more points to finish off a 35-10 blowout. Quarterback Lamar Jackson finished with 217 yards and two touchdowns. Derrick Henry added 138 yards with two scores on 20 carries, and Rashod Bateman had 76 yards with a touchdown as the lead receiver. Mark Andrews had four catches for 54 yards and a TD.
Why the Baltimore Ravens will win
- The Ravens have won each of their last 10 games at M&T Bank Stadium against opponents on a losing streak.
- The Steelers have lost each of their last five postseason games.
- The Steelers have failed to cover the spread in each of their last five postseason games.
- The Ravens have covered the spread in each of their last four games.
- The Steelers have lost the first quarter in each of their last five games following a loss.
- The favorites have won the first half in each of the Steelers’ last five games.
Why the Pittsburgh Steelers will win
- The Steelers have won six of their last seven games as road underdogs following a Division loss.
- The Ravens have lost three of their last four postseason games as home favorites.
- The Ravens have failed to cover the spread in each of their last six home games following a home win.
- The Steelers have covered the spread in each of their last four January road games against AFC North opponents.
- The underdogs have won the first half in three of the Ravens’ last four Wild Card Round games.
- The Ravens have lost the first quarter in each of their last two Wild Card Round games as favorites.
Total Points Facts
- Eight of the last nine games between the Steelers and Ravens have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Each of the Steelers’ last five postseason games against AFC opponents has gone OVER the total points line.
Baltimore Ravens Player Prop Facts
- Mark Andrews has scored a touchdown in each of the Ravens’ last six games as favorites.
- Lamar Jackson has recorded 217+ passing yards in five of the Ravens’ last six home games.
- Lamar Jackson has recorded 54+ rushing yards in each of his seven previous January appearances with the Ravens as favorites against AFC opponents.
- Mark Andrews has recorded 36+ receiving yards in nine of the Ravens’ last 10 games following a win.
- Derrick Henry has recorded 96+ rushing and receiving yards in nine of his 10 previous appearances at M&T Bank Stadium.
Pittsburgh Steelers Player Prop Facts
- Najee Harris has scored a touchdown in five of the Steelers’ last six January games against AFC North opponents.
- Justin Fields has recorded 17+ rushing yards in 30 of his last 33 appearances against conference opponents.
- George Pickens has recorded 74+ rushing and receiving yards in each of his last three appearances with the Steelers as road underdogs.
- Mike Williams has recorded 22+ receiving yards in 15 of his last 16 appearances with his team as a road underdog against AFC opponents.
- Justin Fields has recorded 68+ passing yards in each of his 23 previous road appearances as a starter.
- Justin Fields has recorded six or more completions in each of his 23 previous road appearances as a starter.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs Baltimore Ravens Prediction
I’ll take a stab at Pittsburgh. There’s not a lot of confidence to go around when it comes to the Steelers, though. Pittsburgh has hit the skids over the last four games, and they’re coming off a limp effort versus a middling Bengals team. The Steelers notched just 16 first downs and 193 total yards in that defeat. That makes fewer than 18 points in each of the last four outings (and 27 or more points surrendered in three of those), which likely isn’t going to get it done in this one.
As for Baltimore, they posted 418 yards and 25 first downs at home the last time these teams met up, so they should be feeling pretty confident. The Ravens have 31 or more points in four straight games while allowing fewer than 18 points in each of those. All of that said, however, with this being a divisional rivalry game in addition to a postseason matchup, we can throw the records out the window. I like the Steelers to step up and cover, but you could easily make a case the other way.