Overwhelming number of experts pick Ravens over Steelers this week

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been favored in every game except for their Week 8 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.

Even when the Steelers faced an undefeated Tennessee Titans team last week, the experts have been in Pittsburgh’s corner every step of the way. As a result, the majority of experts at NFL Pickwatch have correctly predicted all 6 of the Steelers games this season.

Sadly, they are not in agreement that Pittsburgh will come away with their seventh straight win in Week 8. In fact, just 37 percent of experts are taking Mike Tomlin’s squad on the road this week while 63 percent are in the Ravens corner.

This is a bit discouraging, considering the circumstances. Though Baltimore opened the week with as 5.5-point favorites, courtesy of The Action Network, that line has since shifted down to just 4 points.

Still, the experts aren’t buying it. The Ravens currently have the best point differential in the NFL at +12.5 points per game. They also have a defense that has surrendered the fewest points per game in the league and the reigning MVP of the league in Lamar Jackson. Couple all of this with the fact that they are fresh off of a bye week, and you’ve got a formula that is working against Pittsburgh this Sunday.

Are Steelers destined to lose?

While the experts have been correct in predicting every Steelers game so far, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will be in Week 8 – even with such a large margin of votes cast for the Ravens. Many of these experts could still be underselling Pittsburgh as a football team.

It’s true that Ben Roethlisberger didn’t have his greatest performance in Week7 against the Titans. He threw for 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions while managing a dismal 5.5 yards per pass attempt – worse than both Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges averaged for the team last season.

But despite Ben’s struggles and being -3 in the turnover department, Pittsburgh still found a way to win against an undefeated Tennessee team. This has to count for something.

The Ravens will no doubt be the best opponent the Steelers have faced yet. While the Titans had a vulnerable defense, Baltimore does not, and it Roethlisberger probably won’t be able to march the ball down the field on them at will. Because of this, the defense will be asked to have another spectacular performance in order to keep their win streak alive.

Though the Ravens have allowed the fewest points per game, the Steelers have surrendered the least amount of yards per contest, according to Team Rankings, and their run defense is currently ranked 2nd in the NFL in terms of yards per game. You can never fully stop the run against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, but slowing it down and forcing them to pass will be key.

Much like in Week7, if the Steelers can find a way to get an early lead, they can get the Ravens out of their comfort zone. If Pittsburgh is able to do this, I don’t see any reason why they can’t advance to their seventh straight win this season.