Majority of Pundits Pick Ravens to Prevail in Pittsburgh
The storied rivalry between the Ravens and Steelers is always fierce regardless of where the teams are in the standings. Sunday's showdown in Pittsburgh has even more intensity because first place in the AFC North is on the line.
The Ravens (7-3) are looking up at the Steelers (7-2) in the standings, but they can change that with a victory. A majority of the pundits we sampled (39 of 57) believe they will.
Even though the Steelers have won seven of the past eight meetings and Lamar Jackson is 1-3 against them as a starter, the Ravens are favored by three points on the road.
Here's what pundits are saying about the game:
Jackson and the Ravens will solve their Steelers problem.
The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec: "History suggests the Ravens-Steelers will be a one-possession game down to the wire, and that favors the Steelers. However, I'll predict a Ravens breakthrough here. They have heard all week about their inability to beat the Steelers and how Pittsburgh has Jackson figured out. The Ravens had a much-needed mini-bye over the weekend and I think they'll respond and win a close one."
NBC Sports’ Chris Simms: "I know the Steelers, their history, they know how to defend Lamar, they know how to play the Ravens. But this is a different Ravens offense. This is the best Ravens offense ever under Lamar."
The Ravens can win if they contain WR George Pickens.
The Baltimore Banner's Jonas Shaffer: "Pittsburgh runs the ball at a surprisingly high rate, which Ravens coordinator Zach Orr would welcome with open arms. If the Ravens can keep Russell Wilson and George Pickens from dunking on them downfield — a big ask, given the secondary's state — their pass defense should feel comfortable defending a Steelers offense that doesn't really attack over the middle."
Derrick Henry is the key to a Ravens victory.
CBS Sports’ John Breech: "I think the game-changer here is going to be Derrick Henry. The Steelers are 6-0 this season when they hold their opponent under 100 rushing yards, but 1-2 when they don't. If Henry can steamroll his way through the Steelers and help Baltimore control the game on the ground, then the Ravens will have a good chance of leaving Pittsburgh in total control of the AFC North and I'll say that happens."
Bleacher Report’s Ian Hanford: "This game comes down to Henry. The Steelers have allowed more than 100 rushing yards in their two losses this season and will face a tall task stopping the NFL's leading rusher in this one. I expect a typical, tight AFC North rivalry battle with Baltimore eking out a win on the road."
The Ravens have too many issues to beat the Steelers.
The Baltimore Banner's Kyle Goon: "I see an offensive line that is going to be challenged by Pittsburgh's front seven, even without Alex Highsmith. When the Ravens can't get their run game on track, they tend to struggle. I also see a secondary that hasn't lived up to standards and hasn't proven that it can cover even one good option, let alone two in George Pickens and Mike Williams (and Kyle Hamilton, if he plays, might not be healthy). I see a team that commits too many penalties, a week-to-week struggle. Add these factors to a road division game (and the Ravens have been shakier on the road this year than last), it feels like another L for Baltimore, as painful as that may be to say."
The Steelers have the talent on both sides of the ball to beat the Ravens.
The Baltimore Sun’s Childs Walker: "Pittsburgh has the defensive talent to pressure Lamar Jackson without blitzing. Russell Wilson's downfield strikes to George Pickens feel like the perfect arrows to shoot at a shockingly vulnerable secondary."
The Steelers defense will slow the Ravens offense just enough to win.
USA Today’s Richard Morin: "Mike Tomlin's Steelers just find ways to win, and it usually centers around solid game-planning around opposing offenses. Can they solve the Ravens' riddle? I think so."
| Source | Prediction | Commentary |
|---|---|---|
| ESPN | 8 of 9 panelists pick Ravens | |
| Baltimore Sun | 3 of 5 panelists pick Ravens | “As stout as the Steelers’ run defense has been (fourth in the NFL allowing 87.1 yards per game), Lamar Jackson can beat them through the air then let Derrick Henry and Keaton Mitchell help seal it late.” — Brian Wacker |
| Baltimore Banner | 3 of 5 panelists pick Ravens | “Lamar Jackson was good enough to win in Pittsburgh last year, but his supporting cast on offense dropped the ball. (Over and over and over.) Now Jackson is better, and so is the supporting cast. Can the Ravens get just enough from their defense?” — Jonas Shaffer |
| USA Today | 5 of 6 panelists pick Ravens | |
| NFL.com | 5 of 5 panelists pick Ravens | “The Steelers have given up 100 rushing yards just three times, but both of their losses are in that group, to the Colts in Week 4 and the Cowboys in Week 5. And just like in those contests, Pittsburgh will be without Alex Highsmith, who helped slow Jayden Daniels last week. I trust Jackson and Henry to give the Steelers enough trouble to make the difference in this one, even with trade acquisition Preston Smith and Nick Herbig -- returning from injury -- on hand to cover for Highsmith.” — Tom Blair |
| NFL Network | 5 of 10 panelists pick Ravens | |
| Sporting News | Steelers 27, Ravens 24 | “The Steelers' quarterback plan has been executed to perfection, as they turned it over to Russell Wilson at the right time to rev up the deep passing game and also open up the traditional running game. Pittsburgh can pick apart Baltimore's pass defense in the short-to-intermediate middle. The Ravens can answer well with their running game and Lamar Jackson's complementary mobility, but the hosts score the first big early win in the two-team AFC North race between the archrivals.” — Vinnie Iyer |
| CBS Sports | 5 of 8 panelists pick Ravens | “I think the game-changer here is going to be Derrick Henry. The Steelers are 6-0 this season when they hold their opponent under 100 rushing yards, but 1-2 when they don't. If Henry can steamroll his way through the Steelers and help Baltimore control the game on the ground, then the Ravens will have a good chance of leaving Pittsburgh in total control of the AFC North and I'll say that happens.” — John Breech |
| Pro Football Talk | 1 of 2 panelists pick Ravens | “The Steelers have a good history against Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. And a better offense than they’ve had in recent years.” — Mike Florio |
| Sports Illustrated | 4 of 6 panelists pick Ravens |
DeShon Elliott Invites Marlon Humphrey to Finish His Career With Steelers
The Ravens will see three of their former players lining up on the Steelers defense in inside linebacker Patrick Queen, safety DeShon Elliott, and outside linebacker Jeremiah Moon. Elliott would like to see another Raven defect to Pittsburgh.
Elliott attempted to recruit cornerback Marlon Humphrey during his appearance on Humphrey's “Punch Line Podcast.” The two were teammates in Baltimore from 2019-2021.
"If at the end of your career you ever decide to [come to the Steelers]," Elliott said.
Humphrey quickly shot down the suggestion.
"Nah. Nah. Can't do that," he said.
Two Ravens Coordinators Make Sports Illustrated's List of Top Head Coaching Candidates
Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr compiled a list of the top head coaching candidates for 2025 and came up with 27 names. Two are members of the Ravens' staff:
Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken
"Todd Monken's impact on the Ravens has been impossible to ignore. Under the former Georgia offensive coordinator's watch, Baltimore's offense has gone from curiosity to monolith. The past two seasons have been Lamar Jackson's best in terms of completion percentage, by far. Jackson leads the league in nearly all major analytical categories."
Special Teams Coordinator Chris Horton
"Chris Horton has been with the Ravens since 2014 in the position his head coach, John Harbaugh, held for years in the NFL. The former NFL safety has built a solid library of experience and has access to a Rolodex of defensive coaches in Baltimore who could help fill out a staff. The Mike Macdonald iteration of the Ravens' system has become the en-vogue defensive scheme the way anyone who was part of the Vic Fangio tree was a few years ago."
Quick Hits
Yesterday's Most Read: Late for Work: Pundit Predicts How Steelers Will Attack Lamar Jackson
- The Athletic's Chris Branch wrote about the possibility of a running back winning MVP, with Henry and the Eagles' Saquon Barkley leading that discussion.
