The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are both limping into Week 14 at 6-6, with each respective offense in the midst of a slump. The Steelers rank 27th in EPA per play since Week 8, while the Ravens lot
in at 19th. Something has to give, though. Will the Ravens win their third straight against Pittsburgh? Or will the Steelers bare-knuckle box their way to a seventh win? Our staff weighs in.
Austin Bechtold: I don’t see this being good at all for the Steelers. For years, the Steelers did well at containing Lamar Jackson and not letting him beat them with his legs. Things changed last season with the Ravens answering questions in the final two matchups. Even though Lamar is hurt, the Ravens’ weapons are too much for a discombobulated Steelers defense to handle.
Derrick Henry is going to rush for 150 yards. Derrick Harmon’s absence was noticeable, especially with Keeanu Benton and Yahya Back being pushed downfield on nearly every running play. And I haven’t even gotten to the offense yet. I was a big advocate for Aaron Rodgers to be here, especially for games like this. But it seems Rodgers is skittish in the pocket and isn’t the same player he was four weeks ago. DK Metcalf and Pat Freiermuth need to have big games. It would help if Freiermuth were on the field. The Ravens will win it and be in the driver’s seat to represent the AFC North in the playoffs again. Ravens 27, Steelers 14
Ryan Parish: Lamar Jackson returned to practice on Friday, so the Steelers will not get the advantage of playing Baltimore’s backup this Sunday. Jackson hasn’t been playing like a former two-time MVP lately, as he’s clearly been beat up, so if the Pittsburgh defense can have a bounce-back game, the Steelers should hang around.
The offense, though, gives me little hope. Once again, the Ravens have made some tweaks to their defense mid-season and rounded back into form. Baltimore’s pass rush is almost nonexistent, and they don’t turn it over often, but they haven’t allowed a ton of points since October. I think the Steelers once again take a slim lead into halftime and melt in the second half. Ravens 27, Steelers 17
Mike Nicastro: I don’t think it’s a stretch to say this is the biggest regular season game of Mike Tomlin’s career to date. Not only is a potential AFC North title on the line, but he’s also at risk of losing an entire fanbase and finishing under .500 for the first time.
The task is steep. The Steelers are absolutely reeling, and although they’ve held Lamar Jackson in check in the past, they were crushed twice in Baltimore last year. It’s not Jackson who worries me. It’s Derrick Henry, who should have a field day against a defensive line that just got gashed for the most rushing yards in history by an opponent in Acrisure Stadium. The Steelers will keep it close because the Ravens also have major flaws, but it’s hard to trust them for four quarters. Ravens 23, Steelers 19
Ryland Bickley: It’s been a week of shooting off negative takes about the Steelers, and I’ve contributed my fair share as well. But this has all the makings of a game where the Steelers surprise some people and stay competitive in a rock fight against a team most have favored to win.
Still, after looking incompetent against the Bills’ run game last Sunday and missing Derrick Harmon for another week, I don’t have a ton of faith in this Steelers defense to get stops when it matters the most. And the Pittsburgh offense hasn’t shown any signs of life in recent weeks.
With Lamar Jackson still banged up, I foresee this being a classic, ugly, low-scoring AFC North matchup. While I’m tempted to pick the Steelers in a good-old-fashioned “Tomlin against the world” game, I have Baltimore doing just enough to win at home. Ravens 20, Steelers 17
Joey Bray: I know it’s easy to talk down on the Steelers right now, but it’s also easy to say the Ravens haven’t looked very sharp either. The Ravens were flat-out embarrassed against Cincinnati last week on Thanksgiving, and Lamar Jackson has struggled recently.
It will yet again be on the Steelers’ offense to show some consistency that they haven’t all season. Pittsburgh hasn’t completed a pass that has traveled over 20 yards in the air in over a month, and may have an uphill battle to do so in a rivalry game that always seems to be a rock fight.
Derrick Harmon and Kyle Dugger will be out, meaning the defense will be shorthanded yet again. After giving up the most rushing yards at home in the last five decades against Buffalo, it’s hard to imagine the Steelers having success against Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry.
I just don’t see the Steelers offense being able to produce enough to make up for the defense’s struggles. I have the Ravens winning, taking sole possession of first place, and putting the Steelers in a real hole.
Ravens 30 Steelers 17
Alex Hanczar: Steelers-Ravens may be the best rivalry in the NFL… other than this year.
Both Pittsburgh and Baltimore have struggled mightily, each sitting at 6-6 for differing reasons. The Ravens have been injury-ridden and may still be unhealthy as quarterback Lamar Jackson looks to be a shell of himself.
The Steelers, on the other hand, have been unable to figure things out offensively with Aaron Rodgers seemingly unhealthy himself.
This AFC North battle produces year in and year out, and I believe this year will be no different. However, with each team battling for the North title and a playoff berth, sparks may fly even more than usual. Steelers, Ravens 24
Jarrett Bailey: It’s probably better for the long-term future if the Steelers don’t win, because then they’ll talk themselves into Mike Tomlin for another year (I know, go ahead and get your pitchforks aimed at me). That said, the Ravens are completely unimpressive, and the Steelers have largely played very well against him throughout his career. Derrick Henry also hasn’t been great in 2025, so I don’t see this being a game similar to the wild card matchup in January. The Steelers win a low-scoring rock fight. Steelers 19, Ravens 16.
Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!
