Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Week 13 Pick ATS

Baltimore Ravens (8-3 SU, 5-6 ATS) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-5-1 SU, 4-7 ATS)

Date/Time: Sunday, December 5, 4:25 EST

Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh

TV: CBS

Point Spread: Balt -4.5 / Pitt +4.5 (MyBookie – Voted the web’s most fun sportsbook! Check them out to see why! Use bonus code PREDICT100 and they’ll give you a 100% real cash bonus!)

Over/Under Total: 44o

It’s an AFC North battle in Pittsburgh as the hometown Steelers welcome the Baltimore Ravens in week 13. The Steelers are fresh off one of the worst performances of the NFL season, prompting BETANYSPORTS.EU to make the Ravens 4.5 point road favorites. Generally, a team like the Steelers off of a putrid performance against a division foe would be an automatic bet, but let’s keep fading the Black and Gold and buy a Raven ticket. Here are three reasons.

Pittsburgh’s Offense Keeps Getting Worse

The Steelers offense started the season with some hope and a nice Week 1 game against Buffalo – but it’s been downhill since then. It’s hard to tell if QB Ben Roethlisberger or the offensive line is the weakest link, but both are an embarrassment to Steeler Football. Big Ben looks worse every week – last week, throwing for 263 yards while throwing two picks and taking three sacks. Roethlisberger can’t move at all, doesn’t want to take hits, and doesn’t have time for any play to develop. It looked like Steeler fans were going to be put out of their misery last week when Roethlisberger’s arm got bent backward, but no such luck – not that Mason Rudolph is a better option. The running game is no help, probably a result of the offensive line woes. Pittsburgh has totaled 106 rushing yards over the last two weeks, averaging right at 3 yards per rush – against the Bengals and Chargers, who have the 12th and 28th ranked defenses against opposing rushing attacks, respectively. Opponents know they can pressure Ben with four rushers, know that the receiving crew can’t get separation, and know that Najee Harris can’t break a big run. Harris isn’t Derrick Henry or a runner like that who will wear defenses out, and he is yet to have a run longer than 20 yards. If Pittsburgh’s offense can’t be successful against the Lions, Bears, Chargers, and Bengals defense, how much hope is there against the Ravens.

Baltimore’s front seven must be licking their chops at this match-up. They are middle of the pack in quarterback sacks, led by Tyus Bower and Odafe Oweh, but they should be able to disrupt the Steeler passing attack on a regular basis Sunday. Baltimore’s defense ranks 10th in opponents rushing yards per attempt, so if the Lions and the Chargers can shut down the Steeler rushing attack, the Ravens should be able to do the same. Baltimore knows if they stop Chase Claypool from making a big play, Pittsburgh will have to put together 12 to 14 play drives to score, and they just aren’t capable of it. Big Ben will get sacked, or Harris will rush twice for no gain leaving a 3rd and long and Ben to try and hook up down the field. Baltimore’s defense isn’t great, but they will look great this week.

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Baltimore’s Offense Will Score Enough

The Raven offense has really been one of the most disappointing units of the NFL season this year. Injuries have played a big part, but QB Lamar Jackson has made more rookie mistakes this year than he did as a rookie. He has thrown 12 interceptions against 15 touchdowns, has fumbled five times, and taken 30 sacks. He is forcing the ball into tight coverage and making mistakes in the running game. Although Jackson has proven he has work to do to become an elite thrower and signal-caller, he has also proven is one of the most clutch players in the league. When the game is on the line, Jackson comes through. Baltimore has only scored 42 points in their last three games, though one of those games was without Jackson at Chicago. But Baltimore’s struggles are not the same as Pittsburgh’s. Who do you feel is more likely to break out this week – Jackson or Big Ben. No question about it, Jackson and Baltimore can get right and reel off three touchdowns on the first three drives, while the Steelers best case isn’t three offensive touchdowns on the day.
Pittsburgh’s defense has also taken two steps back. They have given up 41 points in back-to-back games, and the Bengals probably could have scored 61 if they had wanted to. Their opponents tallied over 900 yards in those two contests. Even the Bears racked up over 400 yards and 27 points against this year’s version of the Steel Curtain. Pittsburgh’s rush defense has allowed 195 rushing yards per game over the last three games, which includes 229 Lion rushing yards. Though Baltimore’s rushing attack has not been the same when you can’t stop the Lions, Chargers, and Bengals, how can they stop the Ravens.

The Steelers Really Are Awful

In Pittsburgh’s last four games, they beat the Bears by 2 points thanks to some very sympathetic officiating, tied the Lions, scored 37 points on 300 offensive yards but still lost to the Chargers, and then last week’s beatdown by the Bengals. Mike Tomlin is a great motivator, but he has nothing to work with at this point of the season. This Steeler team is trending to being one of the worst four or five teams in the league – we’re talking Jets, Texans, and Lions bad. If you need proof, look no further than the tie to those Lions. If Tomlin could motivate his squad to overcome their lack of talent, it would have happened in one of the last three weeks. The Steeler players know they have no chance at the playoffs, so the team that came into the season hoping for one more playoff run with Big Ben now is left to play out the next six weeks.

Lay the Points with the Ravens

One of these teams is going to get right this week – and that team will be the Ravens. Pittsburgh has done nothing over the past three weeks to make us believe they can compete for 60 minutes, and the Ravens will be out for blood. Play Baltimore -4.5. Does your bookie offer live betting? If not, you should seriously consider checking out the live betting platform at Bovada Sportsbook! It’s well laid out and freakin’ incredible!