For many Ravens fans, there is not a better Christmas gift than getting to watch their team face the Pittsburgh Steelers with the AFC North, and a possible playoff berth on the line. However, the Steelers have lost SU and ATS in two of their past three home dates and are winless in their past four meetings with the Ravens, including two defeats at Heinz Field. With Jimmy, the Ravens have the sixth best pass defense in the National Football League and the number one overall defense. While the Steelers are at home this week and seem to be peaking at the right time, the Ravens have won the last four meetings against Pittsburgh.
This is the type of scenario that has brought out the best in Flacco in the past.
“That’s the standard of the Ravens”, Williams told reporters. “We respect them, and we look forward to it every time we play them”. We respect their quarterback. When he does that, he’s just so patient and all of a sudden, when a guy just jumps off a block, he’s got great vision, and he hits it.
Redskins (-3) over Bears: I don’t love what Washington showed on Monday night, but I still can’t pick the Bears to cover a field goal against them.
The Detroit Lions are licking their wounds after a tough road loss to the New York Giants, and are following it up with an even rougher road matchup against the Cowboys. It’s really everything football is supposed to be.
“We have special things coming for us, and I’m excited for it”. For the past two Steelers/Ravens matchups, Ben Roethlisberger has posted dismal passer ratings of 67.3 (in the November 6th game) and 63.4 (in the infamous Mallett Bowl game on December 27, 2015). In fact, they rank 28 in the league in averaging just 90.6 rushing yards per game.
The 12 games decided by three or fewer points are the most in any rivalry since 2008.
Christmas day, with the AFC North crown on the line against the rival Steelers in Pittsburgh, will provide the ideal litmus test for the Ravens’ quarterback.
Sure, Flacco has had more games in Pittsburgh than many quarterbacks, which offers more opportunities for wins. While the loss of one player is not often the difference in a game, it very well could be against the Steelers.
On Christmas Day we are looking for another Ravens win.
The fat guy in the big red suit isn’t the only extra-large visitor the Steelers will receive Christmas Day. Pittsburgh will clinch the division with a win. Jesse James will likely start in place of Green as the Steelers’ primary tight end in the receiving game. Even though Harbaugh said he was accountable for the decision as head coach, those words had to at least hurt Morninweg’s credibility with the players. Both Coates and Green were listed as doubtful on the team’s official status report.
A win for the Steelers, who are favored by five points, would give them the AFC North title. “It needs no endorsement from me”.
Streaming: Live streaming is available by clicking here, but it’s only available if you have a cable/satellite package that includes NFL Network, and then only if your provider offers it. If that’s to change, Sunday is close to a must-win (though it’s quite possible the Ravens lose in Week 17 at Cincinnati while the Steelers bludgeon the Browns). Thus, the Steelers’ primary task on Sunday is to get off to a faster start and avoid falling into the same pattern of offensive sleepwalking and predictable play-calling that we’ve seen during the past two years when facing Baltimore.
“I can say this about Joe: I respect everything about what he does and how he does it and how he competes. He plays what we call the rover position on third down, so he moves around a little bit as the fourth rusher sometimes and sometimes as a dropper”.