With the regular season now behind us, the attention switches to the Wild Card round of the playoffs and there's an AFC North battle to look forward to as the Baltimore Ravens host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday.
Both teams secured a win over each other during the regular season, with the Steelers winning the Week 11 matchup 18-16, while the Ravens recorded a 34-17 victory in Week 16.
Baltimore finished top of the AFC North with a 12-5 record, so they secured the third seed, meaning they have home advantage over the sixth-seeded Steelers this weekend.
The Ravens finished the season with a 4-2 record in the AFC North and they set the standard yet again under coach John Harbaugh.
After losing to the Philadelphia Eagles 24-19 in Week 13, the Ravens enjoyed their bye in Week 14 and it was clearly a beneficial break for the organization.
Since they had a week to recuperate, Baltimore has won four games in a row, scoring 30 points in each. They won every one of those contests by at least 15 points, while the Steelers have lost four on the spin coming into the playoffs.
Pittsburgh will be competitive as they always are under head coach Mike Tomlin, but his team will be low on confidence, especially after losing to the Ravens in Week 16.
Baltimore have home advantage for the second game in a row against their rivals and that should also play its part this weekend.
Early indications suggest that the weather could disrupt Saturday's game, with heavy snow expected as well as strong winds.
Both teams are used to those conditions, but it does not mean it is any easier to play and succeed. The cold weather and wind should make it very difficult for teams to get into a rhythm through the air.
Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers is also considered day-to-day with an injury, so the hosts have lost one of their key weapons in the passing attack.
The two defenses are well-matched ahead of kick-off, with the Steelers conceding 20.4 points per game, which is only marginally better than Baltimore's 21.2.
A tough battle in the trenches should be expected at the MT&T Stadium on Saturday, and that means it makes sense to consider the Under.
Read the latest outright betting picks and predictions for the 2025 NFL Playoffs.
If conditions prevent a clean passing game, the focus will be on the ground and that should suit Ravens running back Derrick Henry.
Henry finished second in the regular season in terms of rushing yards, and his 16 rushing TDs tied for the most in the league.
Henry rushed for 65 and 162 yards in the two games against the Steelers in the regular season, and he may have his busiest night of the year on Saturday due to the conditions.
He has rushed for Over 99.5 yards in three successive games and that should continue this weekend.
Read more betting picks and predictions for the NFL on site.
Pittsburgh Steelers | +400 ML |
Baltimore Ravens | -550 ML |
Spread | BAL Ravens -10.0 |
Total Points | O/U 43.5 |
Derrick Henry (BAL Ravens) | -200 |
Mark Andrews (BAL Ravens) | +150 |
Zay Flowers (BAL Ravens) | +150 |
Lamar Jackson (BAL Ravens) | +175 |
Rashod Bateman (BAL Ravens) | +175 |
Najee Harris (PIT Steelers) | +175 |
George Pickens (PIT Steelers) | +175 |
Read the latest NFL news on site.
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.