Steelers vs. Ravens: Writers' picks and predictions for divisional Week 5 matchup

It was an ugly week for the Steelers after another blowout loss, but this time at the hands of the Houston Texans. Many thought the Steelers would win that game, but they were unable to hang with a young and injury riddled team. There are plenty of questions and scrutiny surrounding this club and it probably won't improve this week.

It is a tough AFC North rivalry at home as the Baltimore Ravens come to town. There will be plenty of concerns going into this game, especially with a couple of injuries to different starters starting to pop up on the injury report. There are many factors going against Pittsburgh in this contest, but they should be able to make it a game.

Things to pay close attention to as the Steelers host their hated AFC North rival

This game will come down to whether the Steelers defense can stop the Ravens rushing attack enough to force Lamar Jackson into winning the game through his decision making. The offense of the black and gold is not going to do much again this week as Baltimore's defense has ranked as one of the best in the NFL overall. If this game isn't a blowout by the Ravens, expect a close defensive game.

It might seem crazy to imagine the Steelers having any chance to compete in this game, but these two teams know each other well. Nine times out of ten, this game is close and low scoring. That should allow Pittsburgh a chance to win this game. With the number of injuries that the Steelers are dealing with heading into this game, it is going to be an uphill battle to try and overcome.