NFL Expert Picks, Week 18: Experts feel the Steelers left their magic in Week 17

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are slated to face off in Week 18 of the 2021 regular season, and there are a lot of narratives between these two teams. For the Ravens, they are trying to their playoff hopes alive, while the Steelers are a team trying to do the very same thing heading into the regular season finale.

For those who follow the current betting lines, the Steelers opened as 3.5-point road underdogs, and, according to DraftKings Sportsbook, that line has moved from 2.5-points to 4.0-points.

At this point, it is time to check in and see who the pundits who call themselves experts like in this showdown in Baltimore Sunday.

For those new to this article, there are two types of experts when it comes to NFL picks. There are those who just pick the overall winner, and those who expound on their picks and give a reason for their prediction.

As for the former of the above types of experts, there are many sites who have their experts just plug in a winner and move on with their day. Of those sites, the majority of experts at Yahoo!, ESPN and FOX like the Ravens to win, and this should surprise no one. There are some experts who still believes the Steelers can pull off the victory, even on the road, but the majority are certainly on the Ravens’ side.

As for the experts who actually put some thoughts, and explanation behind their picks, like Pete Prisco of CBS Sports, he likes the Steelers to fall short in Week 18.

The Steelers are still alive for a playoff spot, but it’s a long shot. The Ravens are done. But any time these two get together, it’s a physical battle. The don’t like each other. That’s why I think the Ravens will find a way to pull this game out to end the Steelers’ season, especially with the Steelers on a short week.

Pick: Ravens 28, Steelers 21

As for Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com, he too sees the Steelers losing to the Ravens this Sunday in Week 18.

It felt like the Steelers won their playoff game Monday night. Now they turn around to face a decimated, feisty Ravens team that still has faint postseason hopes, too. Unlike Cleveland, Baltimore will remember to test Pittsburgh’s run defense. Moral victories for everyone in the AFC North! (Except the Browns.)

Pick: Ravens 23, Steelers 16

If you are looking for a less black-and-gold view of the game, look no further than Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News, who thinks the Ravens are too much for the Steelers this Sunday.

The Steelers will try to sweep their rivals to salvage something from a disappointing season. The Ravens have been overachieving through all their major injuries to even be at .500, thanks to the coach of John Harbaugh. With the near misses against the Packers and Rams in mind, Baltimore will finish off a familiar opponent at home to create good vibes for a more formidable season with Lamar Jackson in 2022.

Pick: Ravens win 20-17

These are just a few sites who make weekly NFL picks. When you think about all those sites not listed above, this is when we turn to our friends at NFL Pick Watch, a site dedicated to tracking NFL expert picks by the week. They take all expert picks and put them into an easy-to-read graph for fans to enjoy. When it comes to the Steelers vs. Ravens game, 73% of NFL experts like the Ravens to hold serve at M&T Bank Stadium and win on Sunday.

What do you think about the upcoming game? Will the experts have it right? Or are they way off? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below, and be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the black and gold as they prepare for the Ravens in Week 18.