AFC Wild Card Showdown! Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens Prediction, Odds, and The Best Prop Bets

The AFC Wild Card round is delivering a heated game between longtime rivals as the Pittsburgh Steelers visit the Baltimore Ravens. With the Ravens riding high on a 4-game win streak and the Steelers struggling on their own 4-game skid, this matchup feels heavily tilted and you can take a guess at which way that is.

However, rivalries somehow always have a way of ignoring recent trends which makes this game an exciting showdown to analyze and bet on.

Betting Odds and Matchup Breakdown

• Spread: Ravens -9.5
• Over/Under: 43.5

The Ravens come in as big-time favorites, buoyed by the league’s second-best offense under Lamar Jackson and a dominant defense led by Roquan Smith. On the other side of the ball, the Steelers are grappling with offensive woes and have been unable to find any sort of rhythm during their current losing streak. 

This just might be the Ravens game to lose as everything is going in their favor.

• Steelers. Pittsburgh has lost 4 straight, including a 19-17 defeat to Cincinnati and a 34-17 loss to Baltimore just a few weeks ago during their Week 16 matchup. Turnovers and poor passing from Russell Wilson have undoubtedly plagued their offense, while defensive injuries have also hurt their ability to put any amount of pressure on quarterbacks.
• Ravens. Baltimore closed out the regular season with 4 straight wins to bring their regular season to an end with a 12-5 record. This streak also included a convincing Week 16 victory over Pittsburgh. Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson have been nothing short of unstoppable, and Baltimore’s defense has dominated on the ground and in the air, allowing just 15.5 points per game during the streak.

Baltimore’s Offense vs. Pittsburgh’s Defense

Lamar Jackson has had a historic season so far and many are calling for him to be the NFL MVP. He’s thrown for over 4,000 yards and rushed for another 915. His ability to punish defenses with both his legs and arm makes him the X-factor as dual-threat QBs are a nightmare to contain.

Without WR Zay Flowers, we think Baltimore will lean on Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely in the passing game. Keep in mind that Andrews has scored in 6 consecutive games and doesn’t look to be slowing down. We’ll also look for Derrick Henry to play a massive role after racking up 162 rushing yards in Week 16 against the Steelers. They obviously know how to take them on.

Pittsburgh’s defense will look to T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward to disrupt Jackson’s flow — if that’s possible. Watt has recorded at least half a sack in 11 of his last 12 games against Baltimore, and his presence will be a huge factor if the Steelers hope to even keep the game close.

Pittsburgh’s Offense vs. Baltimore’s Defense

The Steelers’ offense has been nothing less than abysmal. They’ve scored under 15 points per game during their losing streak.

Russell Wilson has to protect the football after several costly turnovers in recent games.

Additionally, George Pickens needs to step up his game as well. His one-catch, zero-yard performance last week will not cut it against Baltimore’s explosive secondary.

The duo of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren does offer a glimmer of hope — if there is any. Together, they combined for over 300 all-purpose yards against Baltimore during the regular season. However, they will be facing a Ravens defense that ranks 1st in the league against the run.

Either they have to figure out how to gain yards or Wilson will have to air it out. Both aren’t great options.

Props to Watch

What we really love about the Ravens vs. Steelers matchup is the prop bets. We found some solid ones with decent odds.

• Mark Andrews Anytime Touchdown (+150). Andrews has been a red-zone machine and has scored in 6 straight games. We expect him to continue being Jackson’s go-to target throughout the entire game.
• T.J. Watt Over 0.25 Sacks (-115). Watt has a proven track record against Baltimore and will be itching to make an impact. He might not be enough to secure the win, but assisting in a sack seems inevitable.
• Kyle Van Noy Over 0.25 Sacks (-105). Van Noy has a sack in 5 consecutive games and is on fire as of late. It just goes to showcase his importance in Baltimore’s defensive schemes.
• Derrick Henry Rushing Yards Over 98.5 (115). Henry had 162 yards against Pittsburgh in Week 16 and remains Baltimore’s offensive engine. He will continue this streak and blow right through 98.5 yards.

There are tons of player prop bets on this game at various sportsbooks, but these are the ones that caught our eye. 

Prediction and Best Bet

The Ravens are firing on all cylinders, while the Steelers are limping into this matchup. Lamar Jackson’s dynamic skill set, combined with Derrick Henry’s punishing ground game, gives Baltimore too much firepower for Pittsburgh to handle. Defensively, Baltimore’s ability to stifle the run and force Wilson into mistakes will be the deciding factor.

• Best Bet: Ravens -9.5

Baltimore should control the game from start to finish. We also think they’ll cover the spread comfortably. We expect a balanced offensive attack and a dominant defensive showing to secure the win.

• HelloRookie’s Prediction: Ravens 30, Steelers 14