Steelers vs. Ravens, 12/29/19 NFL Week 17 AFC East Predictions

Steelers vs. Ravens Week 17 Prediction

AFC North rivals clash in Baltimore on Sunday when the Ravens host the Steelers at 4:25 p.m. ET. With their playoff hopes on the line, will Pittsburgh knock off its rivals as a 1-point dog or will Baltimore’s backups come up with a win?

Game Snapshot

117 Pittsburgh Steelers (+1) at 118 Baltimore Ravens (-1); O/U 35.5

4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, December 29

M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD

Public Betting Odds

According to our NFL Public Betting Chart page, the Ravens are drawing 60% of the betting tickets ahead of tonight’s game.

Pittsburgh Steelers Fantasy Spin

James Conner (thigh) has been ruled out for the Steelers' Week 17 matchup against the Ravens. Conner is also dealing with a lasting shoulder injury. The Steelers will likely lean on Benny Snell on early downs and utilize Jaylen Samuels as the primary pass-down back for their season-defining Week 17 matchup. Look for Kerrith Whyte and Trey Edmunds to also see some work, rendering this as a low-ceiling committee that could feature up to four backs.

Baltimore Ravens Fantasy Spin

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports Marquise Brown (illness) is not expected to play in Week 17 against the Steelers. He'll join Mark Andrews (ankle), Mark Ingram (calf), Lamar Jackson, and Earl Thomas among those who have already been ruled out for Baltimore's regular season finale. It's music to the Steelers' ears considering Pittsburgh needs to win (and have the Titans fall to Houston's backups) to clinch a Wild Card berth. Expect Marcus Peters and Jimmy Smith to make the Ravens' inactive list on Sunday morning, too.

Pittsburgh

The road team has covered the spread in five of the last six meetings between these two teams while the underdog is 4-0 against the number in the last four meetings between these two teams.

Baltimore

The Ravens are 8-1 against the spread in their last nine games overall and have covered in six of their last seven games as a favorite.

NFL Week 17 Prediction

Even without Jackson, Andrews, Ingram, Brown and Thomas, I’m still taking the Ravens over a Steelers team that is in complete freefall mode because of their offense. Devlin Hodges was benched last week in the team’s loss to the Jets but was thrust back into action when Mason Rudolph took a hard hit in the third quarter. With Hodges’ confidence shot and no running game to speak of this year, the Steelers have had all sorts of issues moving the ball offensively. RGIII is more than capable of moving Baltimore’s offense and picking up a win in a defensive struggle.

NFL WEEK 17 PREDICTION: BALTIMORE RAVENS -1