Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens
Time: NOON (EST)
Spread: BAL -3.5
Total: 46.5
Odds ? Bookmaker
The Baltimore Ravens are 5-1 entering this week’s showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens are 3.5-point favorites on its home field, with an over-under set at 46.5 total points. The game will air at Noon (EST) on CBS and CBS affiliates.
BAL
The Baltimore Ravens enter Week 8 as winners of its past three, having knocked off the Philadelphia Eagles, Cincinnati Bengals, and Washington, over the last three outings. Baltimore has done it with defense, which is kind of the standard M.O. for the Ravens. It holds opponents to just 17.3 points per game while managing to score almost 30 itself on average. The Ravens possess the NFL’s top rush offense, generating 164.3 yards per game on the ground.
It is easy to figure out why Baltimore is such a good rushing team, and it begins with its dual-threat QB Lamar Jackson. Jackson is tied for the team lead in rush attempts with 50, and he leads the team in yardage (346), yards-per-carry (6.9), and is one of three Ravens with at least two rushing TDs. No. 1 and No. 2 running backs Mark Ingram and Gus Edwards have been successful, as well. Both average 4.5 yards per, and have a pair of touchdowns apiece. Edwards is tied for the lead in first downs with Jackson.
Though the Ravens are not an especially pass-oriented offense, Marquise Brown has been the top benefactor when Jackson does air it out. He is averaging 14.5 yards-per-catch and has caught 26 of 42 targeted passes for 376 yards. No. 2 option in the pass offense is tight end Mark Andrews.
Andrews has 243 receiving yards and a team-high five TDs, as the top red-zone option in the offense; well, perhaps outside of Jackson himself who will surely amass more touchdowns with his propensity to hold onto the football. The Ravens may lack balance, but this is a quality football team simply doing what it has to do to win. That means keeping Jackson involved in nearly every play, whether it be as the primary option or just a very dangerous decoy.
PIT
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a perfect 6-0 entering Week 8. It holds just a one-game lead over today’s opponent Baltimore for the lead in the AFC North. A loss today pits both teams tied through this early season juncture.
Like Baltimore, The Steelers are again winning due to its defense. Pitt surrenders just 19.7 points per game while managing 30.5 itself, for an impressive point differential of +10.8. The games have not been particularly close, as the Ravens have a No. 11 rated rush offense that helps move the chains, and also helps keep possession and dominance over the clock.
In terms of offense, one need look no further than dual-threat running back James Conner. He leads the team in rushing yards with 451 and four rushing TDs, and he has also caught 15 passes for 112 yards and six first downs. Chase Claypool leads the team in receiving yards with 333 and four touchdowns, while No. 2 and No. 3 pass options JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson each have three TDs to their credit and over 200 receiving yards.
The Steelers may be awfully reliant on Conner, but Ben Roethlisberger has been his usual dominant self, even with less passing plays. His efficiency is up, and his 68.2 percent completion ratio is strong. It is just part of his downfall, at least in terms of massive yardage, is that the Steelers run so many short routes for Conner and other receivers. The result is that Big Ben averages just 6.6 yards-per-reception, but he offsets this with 13:4 TD/INT ratios and a 99.6 passer rating. He also has been sacked just 1.25 times per game, a credit to the OL producing him time to make decisions and opening up the holes for Conner in the rush game. Pittsburgh and Baltimore are both early-season contenders, and this could serve as a kind of statement game, with the division crown being at least one goal both teams share.
