Ravens Enter Season Finale as Slight Favorites Over Steelers

No one seems to know what to expect for this weekend's showdown between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.

There couldn't be any higher stakes than what's already attached to this game, with the victor set to advance to the playoffs while the loser will have to settle for falling short of the playoffs, but neither of these candidates to represent the AFC North seem overly appealing.

While the Baltimore Ravens have provided tangible reason to believe as of recent, finally unleashing Derrick Henry as the high-volume scorer he's proven himself to be while preparing for Lamar Jackson's return to the starting lineup, things just haven't seemed to go their way when the going's gotten tough.

Baltimore Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson and Running Back Derrick Henry — Dec 21, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) congratulates running back Derrick Henry (22) on a touchdown run against the New England Patriots during the first quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

Look no further than their last finish in finding ways to side with the Steelers; they'd spent most of the season in the division's driver seat, and got the better of the Ravens in a heartbreaking finish just last month. The Steelers have played even less convincing football than the Ravens since then, though, and now project as slight -3.5 favorites heading into Week 18, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Have the Ravens Earned Any Trust?

This may not be a matter of picking which team is likelier to blow the other out.

Both the Ravens and Steelers have suffered frustrating, occasionally embarrassing defeats since their Week 14 duel, but Pittsburgh has proved less reason for newfound hope while the Ravens slowly unlock the best version of themselves.

"Since these two teams met in Week 14, the Ravens have been the better team, by beating the Cincinnati Bengals and posting a dominant victory over the Green Bay Packers," Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski wrote. "Baltimore even had an 11-point fourth-quarter lead against the New England Patriots before letting that one slip away.

"Whereas, the Steelers strung together two solid victories against the Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions before falling to the Cleveland Browns. The last loss is most important, because wide receiver DK Metcalf began his two-game suspension and Pittsburgh's offense didn't look the same. No vertical element exists in its passing game, which limits the entire scheme. The Ravens can benefit from this, while the Steelers know exactly what they're going to get with a heavy dose of Derrick Henry."

Baltimore Ravens Running Back Derrick Henry — Dec 27, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) runs for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images | Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images

The Great Untackleable is coming off of a season-high 216 yards that resulted in four touchdowns, with Jackson's absence forcing Baltimore's hand into spoon-feeding Henry to the tune of 36 touches. It marked the fourth-consecutive game in which he notched at least 90 yards in a game, a streak that started when the Ravens hosted the Steelers last month.

Even though the Steelers will host the game for all the marbles, they'll have to ask a lot out of the aging Aaron Rodgers without his star suspended receiver in DK Metcalf. And even if their underwhelming defense shows up, they can only offer so many answers for a force like Henry.

The 2025 Ravens folded every time eyes fell on them, but the new year provides one more chance to prove that they've learned from their mistakes.

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