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The 2021 regular season is upon us, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for the Baltimore Ravens in Week 13. While the Steelers get ready for their latest road game of the season, it is time for the BTSC staff to put on their prognostication hats and guess the winner of the contest.
Who will get closest? We will be keeping tabs, so let’s get the picks. Check out the staff picks below, and even a pick from an enemy guest!
Jeff Hartman
Let me get something out of the way. I’m a homer. I always have been, and always will be. If that bothers you, please scroll down to the other predictions. So, please spare me with the “these predictions are trash” and “these guys are homers” comments. We clearly don’t care, and it doesn’t impact our predictions. With that said, I don’t think the Steelers are as bad as their record might indicate, and I don’t think the Ravens are as good as they might indicate. Getting T.J. Watt back only solidifies a prediction I made before the news of Watt being activated off the Reserve/COVID-19 List even happened. It’s a Christopher Lynn Boswell field goal to win it for the Steelers at Heinz Field.
Pick: Steelers 26, Ravens 24
Dave Schofield
I don’t know what to think of this game anymore. The Steelers looked terrible last week, and Joe Haden is still out. But T.J. Watt coming back is a much bigger deal than some people realize. While so many negative fans want to say “he didn’t play well last week” or “he might still be injured,” the Ravens are now going to go away from him rather than trying to go at his replacement. That’s a big deal. The problem is, I still don’t know if I believe in this team after what we’ve seen the last three weeks. It was also three weeks of a losing streak earlier in the season when the Steelers turned things around. After pulling the typical “Dave answer” of going back-and-forth as to what to actually do, I’m simply going by the numbers this week. The Ravens score an average of 23.9 points and Steelers give up an average of 24.3 points. The Steelers score an average of 20.4 points and the Ravens give up an average of 21.8 points. Averaging each pair of numbers, I just went with that score.
Pick: Ravens 24 (24.1), Steelers 21 (21.1)
Bryan Anthony Davis
Rivalry Week is so fun isn’t it? The Steelers actually match up better against Baltimore than they do Cincinnati. If T.J. Watt returns, and I’m thinking he does... the Steelers have a chance to shut Lamar Jackson. I just think the Steelers aren’t ready to stop screwing with fans just yet and will pull this out on a late Boswell FG. I previously selected a score of Ravens 23, Steelers 21 on The Preview, but I’m starting to get that feeling again. Or was it the oysters that I downed earlier this evening?
Pick: Steelers 23, Ravens 21
Michael Beck
The defense is just missing so many guys that I'm terrified of what Lamar Jackson and company will be able to accomplish on the ground. I also expect Hollywood Brown to scorch (insert any Steelers defensive back here) for a long touchdown. The recipe for this one isn't shaping out good and the Steelers could be in line for another butt whooping.
Pick: Steelers 17, Ravens 34
K.T. Smith
In a word, my picks this season have sucked. I think I’m 3-8. My problem is, even though I see the faults and flaws of this team as clear as day. I just can’t bring myself to pick against the Steelers unless I’m sure they will lose. Which, quite frankly, I am not sure of this week against Baltimore.
There are plenty of reasons to pick the Ravens. But, with their season on the line, and with Ben Roethlisberger just having told his teammates this will be his final rodeo, there’s reason to anticipate an inspired performance from the Steelers, too. Let’s go with that. I say the home team pulls it together this week and wins one for the ‘berger. Who’s with me?
Pick: Steelers 24, Ravens 20
Geoffrey Benedict
There is no reason to believe the Steelers have a chance in this game. All the stats, the film, the direction of the teams, and especially the injury report say the Steelers are toast.
I. Don’t. Care. Coach Tomlin doesn’t care either. The Steelers don’t have to be the better team to win this game, they just have to find a way to beat that team from Maryland.
Pick: Steelers 27, Ratbirds 16
Rich Schofield (Big Bro Scho)
T.J. Watt does make it back this week, but Joe Haden is still out. This will probably be one of those games where the Steelers are actually able to stop the run game of the Ravens, but then turn around and allow Lamar Jackson to look like Dan Marino throwing the ball all over the place. I feel that the Joe Haden streak will continue and the Steelers will not pick up a victory.
Pick: Ravens 31, Steelers 21
Shannon White
The Steelers utterly disappointing lack of effort and intensity against the Bengals last Sunday has made this old Steelers fan question everything I thought I knew about the 2021 Pittsburgh Steelers. In the biggest game of the season, against the team that basically called their manhood into question earlier this year, the Steelers were beaten and bullied by a Bengals franchise they used to dominate. I fear that the Steelers can no longer flip the switch. History tells us that the Steelers simply don't win without Joe Haden in the lineup, 0-8 in such cases. I want to have faith in this team, but I need them to give me something to believe in.
Pick: Ravens 27 Steelers 13
Andrew Wilbar
I am still winless predicting Steelers games this season, so maybe I should go back to picking us to lose. However, Lamar Jackson has not had the greatest success against the Steelers in his young career, and with Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt back in the lineup, the Steelers should be able to apply more pressure than they did against the Bengals last week. Baltimore’s pass rush is not as good as it is most years, so if the young left side of the line can protect Big Ben, the Steelers have a fighting chance despite the current struggles that the team is going through.
Pick: Steelers 25, Ravens 21
Matty Peverell
Minkah Fitzpatrick, Pat Freiermuth, Najee Harris, Cameron Heyward, Dionte Johnson, T.J. Watt. I like to think of them as our ‘Super 6’ (I like to look at all teams through this lens of who are their top 3 on offense or defense that can truly change a game), who do the Ravens have in their super 6? And if they do have a decent Super 6 are they better than the Steelers’? Time for the supporting cast to help our Super 6 get the win!
Pick: Steelers 24, Ravens 21
Mark Davison
The Pittsburgh Steelers have now lost Three straight games against the Cincinnati Bengals. While this Is totally inexcusable and the Steelers played poorly In both matchups VS the Bengals. It’s time to move on and push forward To the next AFC North football game. The Baltimore Ravens are leading the AFC Conference with the number One overall seed. The question I want to ask you, the BTSC fan.
Are the Ravens a true reflection of an 8-3 team? and Are the Steelers really a sub par team sitting at 5-5-1?
These Two questions might be answered Sunday afternoon until then grab your Terrible Towels and let’s swing them high, hard and proud
Pick: Steelers 19, Ravens 17
Anthony Defeo
I honestly don’t see how this compromised Steelers team will put up much of a fight against the Ravens, especially a run defense that has given up 586 yards over the past three games. I realize Thanksgiving is over, but Lamar Jackson could really be in for a feast on Sunday. As for this offense? I honestly don’t see how it will put up much of a fight against anyone, even a Ravens unit with a bad secondary.
Pick: Ravens 23, Steelers 7
Kyle Barber (Baltimore Beatdown)
Making Roethlisberger hang onto the football longer will be critical. He’s getting the ball out quicker than anybody in the NFL this season and that means the pressure must be faster, or coverage must be better. Either way, the only chance you can get to him is if he’s still clutching onto the ball. That’s where this secondary must play press and throw off the timing of Roethlisberger and his wide receivers.
Stopping running back Najee Harris will also take an 11-man effort. Hopefully, they bring that same run-stopping ability from last week to this game at Heinz Field.
What is your prediction? Let us know in the comment section below, and feel free to tell the contributors above why they are dead wrong, or spot on!
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