"It ain't what it used to be."
Pardon my French, but this certainly seems to ring true when talking about the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens grudge match, which will take place for the second time in 2015 at M&T Bank Stadium in Week 16. No, I'm not referring to the big names missing like Hines Ward, Joey Porter, Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. Those players were great, but this matchup isn't even close to what it was compared to earlier this season when the two teams met in Week 4.
When these two teams met earlier this year it was Joe Flacco going against Mike Vick, Steve Smith Sr. going against Cortez Allen and Justin Forsett running the football. Flacco is gone for the year with a torn ACL, Steve Smith Sr. was placed on injured reserve with a torn Achilles tendon and Justin Forsett is also done for the year with a broken arm.
There are changes on the Steelers' side of the ball, but I wouldn't go as far as saying the team is worse because of them. True, they are now without Le'Veon Bell and Kelvin Beachum, along with Maurkice Pouncey, but this Steelers team will have their franchise quarterback back under center to face Pittsburgh's arch rivals in Week 16.
Roethlisberger is averaging over 330 yards passing per game in 2015, and the Steelers' have scored over 30 points in each of their last 6 football games. To say the offense is clicking on all cylinders might be a very big understatement. Nonetheless, the 9-5 Steelers travel into enemy territory to play the 4-10 Ravens, and the early lines on the game are showing Pittsburgh to be heavy favorites in this contest.
The opening line on the game has Pittsburgh at 9.5-point favorites, but other sports books show the spread to be much greater. Most books see it as a 10.5-point spread, while the highest goes clear to 11.5-points.
It is strange to see a Steelers vs. Ravens line so heavily favored in one direction, but this upcoming game could get ugly quickly if the Steelers play to their potential, and Jimmy Clausen continues to be Jimmy Clausen for the Ravens.