Sunday Night Football Betting Preview: Steelers at Ravens

A hard-hitting division rivalry takes center stage Sunday night at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, when the 5-5 Ravens and 6-4 Pittsburgh Steelers hook up for what is almost a must-win bout for both teams (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC).

The big question about Sunday’s game is the health of Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger, who took a knee to the head in Kansas City last week and suffered his fourth concussion as a pro. Roethlisberger apparently passed some neurological tests earlier this week, and is expected to start Sunday night.

If, however, Big Ben doesn’t go, the Steelers would have to turn to third-string QB Dennis Dixon, who is in his second year of Oregon. Backup Charlie Batch broke a bone in his wrist last week, and will be out of action for up to a month.

Because of the uncertainty at quarterback for the Steelers, online sportsbooks like BetJamaica.com held off posting numbers for Sunday night’s game.

Pittsburgh started 1-2 this season then won five games in a row and seemed poised to make a run at a second straight AFC championship. But the Steelers have since lost two straight after falling in overtime at Kansas City last Sunday 27-24.

Baltimore started 3-0 this season then lost three straight and has gone 2-2 since after losing 17-15 at home to Indianapolis last Sunday. It was the second straight game the Ravens failed to score an offensive touchdown.

Pittsburgh and Baltimore both trail the 7-3 Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC North race.

On the season, the Steelers are out-gaining opponents by 102 YPG, third-best in the league, and out-rushing foes by 42 YPG, which ranks sixth-best.

The Ravens, meanwhile, are out-gaining opponents this season by 39 YPG, which ranks 10th, and out-rushing them by 24 YPG, which ranks 14th.

Last year the Steelers swept the regular-season series from the Ravens, winning 23-20 in overtime at home and 13-9 in Baltimore.

The Ravens covered the pointspread in the first game as 6-point road underdogs; Pittsburgh covered the second game, winning outright as 3-point dogs. The first game went OVER the 34-point total; the second game stayed UNDER the 33-point total.

In the AFC championship game, the Steelers out-uglied the Ravens 23-14 at Heinz Field, covering the spread as a 6-point chalk on a late Troy Polamalu interception return for a score. That touchdown also sent that game OVER the 35-point total.

In those three games last year, Pittsburgh out-gained Baltimore by a 285-220 YPG margin, however, the Ravens out-rushed the Steelers.

The defending Super Bowl champion Steelers are just 3-7 vs. the BetJamaica.com pointspreads so far this season. Meanwhile, Baltimore is 6-4 vs. BetJam’s numbers.

For Pittsburgh, the over/under has gone 5-5 on BetJamaica.com’s posted totals so far this year; Steelers games have averaged 41.5 points. For Baltimore, the over/under is 4-6 on BetJam’s listed totals; Ravens games have averaged just about 41 points.

Bettors should check the NFL futures market at BetJamaica.com for updated odds on who will win the conference championships and Super Bowl 44.

Before the season started, BetJam was listing Pittsburgh at +325 to win the AFC title again, while Baltimore was getting +900. As of Friday morning BetJam was listing the Steelers at +1,200 to win the conference championship; the Ravens were at +2,800.

Prior to the start of the season, BetJamaica.com was also offering Pittsburgh at +700 and Baltimore at +2,000 to win the Super Bowl. As of Friday morning, BetJamaica.com was listing the Steelers at +2,500 and the Ravens at +6,000.

BetJam set Pittsburgh’s season win total at 10.5 and Baltimore’s at 9. Both teams will now need to go 5-1 the rest of the way to go OVER their numbers.

Make sure to check BetJamaica.com this weekend for updated odds on the Sunday nighter as kickoff approaches and Roethlisberger’s status is confirmed.