The Baltimore Ravens are a team that’s swimming in controversy after the Ray Rice video was released and running back Ray Rice has been prohibited from playing in this regular season.
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens
Thursday, September 11th – 8:20 PM ET
Odds: Baltimore -3
Why The Steelers Will Cover
They are going up against a team that’s just not ready to play a game in general, but especially on a short week. The Ray Rice story had appeared to have been resolved, though not without controversy. The NFL probably thought that it could move on from that ugly story. However, the surfacing of a video which showed the full incident in an elevator exposed Rice to the truth of the matter: He viciously knocked his fiancé unconscious. The Ravens, from executives to head coach John Harbaugh, had to do a lot of back peddling on an issue.
All of what you see here is a team and organization failing to be sure to keep distractions to a minimum. The Ravens organization rallied around Rice when it didn’t have all the facts. Now that Rice has been removed from this game, Baltimore has to deal with a very short week, a Thursday game after the opening Sunday. With the short amount of time needed to deal with a loss of a player such as Ray Rice, the Ravens just might not be in the proper frame of mind to win this game. The Ravens could doubt themselves while the Steelers, given confidence in their season-opening win over the Cleveland Browns, could play with more passion and determination. Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was very solid against Cleveland, keeping big mistakes to a minimum. If that same player can show up for at least three quarters in this game, Baltimore’s sputtering, stop-and-start offense could have a tough time keeping up with Pittsburgh in a scoring contest. Roethlisberger looks like the better quarterback heading into this game.
Why The Ravens Will Cover
They are playing at home, and while the Ray Rice news is a huge blow for them, coming back onto the field could be the perfect way for Baltimore to fight through this messy situation. If the Ravens had been forced to wait a full week before playing their next game, a lot of players on the roster would have been able to process the previous week’s game and get normal rest. This is part of why Thursday Night Football is going to be a blessing for the Ravens. A week without much of any practice will magnify this game and give the Ravens a desire to not allow another team to climb over it in the AFC North. Baltimore is also quite aware of the fact that Cincinnati and Pittsburgh have both won to start the season. The Ravens have as much of a pressure-packed game as anyone in the NFL right now. That pressure could be a drag on Baltimore’s speed, but it could also enable the Ravens to play at their best. Given the consistency of the Ravens franchise over the past several years, it seems unwise to pick against them here.
Outlook
If Ben Roethlisberger gets adequate pass protection in this game, the Steelers will win. Yet, Baltimore’s defensive front is probably going to be good enough to shove Pittsburgh’s line around and create momentum swings that will elevate the Ravens on Thursday.
Pick: Ravens -3
