The OFFICIAL Steelers - Ravens (12/2) Game Prediction Thread

[Ravenboy2003]

Okay then... it's that time again.

Unless the Steelers are really being sneaky, I don't think Ben is playing this weekend.

It will be Batch and a rag-tag bunch of offensive linemen from the looks of things.

I think the Steelers game plan will be simple. Run Dwyer, short passes off play action, and hope the defense or special teams can come up with a big play or two that will even things out.

In a perfect world, the Ravens will jump out to a big lead like they did on opening day last year. Batch's long passes at Cleveland looked like punts. You could have grabbed a stopwatch and measured hang time. They aren't going to get into a long passing shootout with us. That's for sure.

I think it will be a defensive game similar to the one we saw at Heinz.

Get out the brooms..

Ravens 23
Steelers 13

[Dade]

No way Ben plays. Ain't happening.

Ravens at home are a different beast. Ravens will score early but then trail off in the 2nd and 3rd, but rally big in the 4th. Defense plays lights out again.

Ravens 27
Steelers 10

[bacchys]

I don't see Ben playing, either. While Tomlin and Co. would love to keep themselves in the hunt for the division crown, losing Ben after just one game back to an aggravation of his injury would kill their playoff chances. He'll sit at least one more week.

Harbaugh will want to keep it an AFCN slugfest, but the game is never going to be in doubt.

23-13, Ravens.

[RedSkins Fury]

Ravens-27
Steelers-10

The steelers 7 pts. come late in the 4th qtr.

[leachisabeast]

I was going to pick the Ravens WITH jen playing, where as I would have said we would have lost the Heinz game with jen.

I wouldn't bet against this Ravens team from going all the way with the unity they have right now. I think it's still close and the offense will struggle for the first time this year, but we will pull away in the 4th quarter, and the defense will hold strong all through the evening. 20-13 Ravens. (Note that was my score line prediction in the last game, so I may as well use it here.)

[runrayrun27]

I think they take us late

Steelers 23
Ravens 20

[BigPlayReceiver]

20-10 Ravens.

[NCRAVEN]

I'll go with my prediction from last game.

"We win, they lose"

[working_man]

I think they take us late

Steelers 23
Ravens 20

I'm curious as to your reasoning here.

I am going with:

Ravens 13
Steelers 10

[RedSkins Fury]

I think they take us late

Steelers 23
Ravens 20

So, you think we will lose at home to a Rothlesburgerless Steelers team? I know it's the NFL and Anything is possible, but I think it's highly unlikely.

[runrayrun27]

Just my opinion. I think they're going to come out more hungry. It's always a close game and won't be decided by more than 7 points. I see them taking it late.

[HoustonRaven]

I'll go with my prediction from last game.

"We win, they lose"

And I will go with mine ...

"A close game"

Troy is back and they still have a very good defense. I don't see this one being a blow out by any stretch of the imagination.

[festivus]

"A close game"

Oh, come on and guess a score.

Ravens 13
Steelers 3

We won't light them up because - like the game at PIT - we won't be trying to. The game plan will be, again, do not do anything remotely risky, put up a few points, and let their woeful backup QB fail.

[leachisabeast]

It's at M and T people.

[goodandfast]

31-10 Ravens.

We average 36 at home. We won't get to that, but it will be comfortable.

[Terpsfan82]

This will again be close, as these contests usually are. 20-16 Ravens.

[Shambla]

Keep in mind that we squeaked by them 13-10 last time and they're getting Polamalu back it looks like. They also lost by a mere 6 points after 8 turnovers so that goes to show how good that defense is. That said, I would welcome a blowout but I think the Ravens won't put up a lot and the Steelers offense will be horrendous.

Ravens 17
Steelers 6

[The Excellector]

Troy Polamalu being back will help the Steelers, but we'll have to see if he can hold up the entire game. This is almost an 'all hands on deck' situation for the Steelers. Troy Polamalu is expected to play, as is Antonio Brown, and Ben Roethlisberger will give it a shot.

I think that if the Ravens try to make this a ball control game, they will be making a mistake. If they come out trying to force feed Ray Rice, they will struggle. This is a game where they need to show some adjustments from the way the Steelers played their passing offense two weeks ago. Pitta is back and that should help them to use the middle of the field more.

If I were John Harbaugh, I would employ the same strategy that I did in the opener last year, as far as the passing offense is concerned.

This one is tough for me to predict, because I don't have a good feel for what type of strategy Harbaugh will employ.

Either way, I see the Ravens winning this one at home.

If Ben were there, I could see the Steelers eeking one out in the end, if the Ravens try the 'control the clock', slow tempo approach that ends up keeping the score close. However, even if they use that tactic this time around, I don't think Ben will be in there to make the difference in the end.

With the way the Ravens defense is starting to come together, Pittsburgh might need 20 to win and I don't see them getting to twenty. Nor do I see them holding the Ravens offense to 20 or less at M&T.

As to what I think they 'should' do, I think that they should be respectful to Pittsburgh's defense. Screens do not, have not and will not work against them. However, I don't think that they should coach scared of Pittsburgh's defense. Especially, not at home. Don't be afraid to open up the offense, because Rice is likely going to have a tough day running the ball.

[JMUpurkfool]

I don't know what to expect on the scoreboard but I would be very surprised to see Troy Polamalu making positive plays for their defense. First game back from a nagging injury and he hasn't played for nearly a year. He looked like shit the last two games we played them.

[Justlovemybirds]

Much more confident in this game being at home

Troy was a lot healthier last year in M and T and was a non factor other than this, neither was he much effective in Heinz Field last year. Let's see if he can hold up for a whole game.

Lamarr Woodley is probably not going to be playing.

I have to believe that losing Pitta on the first series of the game altered the gameplan significantly, and he'll be playing.

Hopefully they find a way to get Torrey the ball this game.

28-17 Ravens