NFL Betting: Ravens at Steelers

A nasty rivalry featuring the two best defenses in the league will decide the AFC championship when the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers butt heads on Sunday evening at Heinz Field (6:30 pm Eastern, CBS).

Oddsmaker.com was listing Pittsburgh as 5.5-point favorites earlier this week over Baltimore, with a total of 33. The Steelers were also being offered at -240 on the Oddsmaker moneyline, with the Ravens getting +200. However, as of Wednesday morning, Pittsburgh had been bumped to -6 on the Oddsmaker NFL betting line, and to -250 on the moneyline, with the Ravens getting +210. And the total had jumped a point, to 34.

Baltimore closed out the regular season by winning five of its last six games then beat the Dolphins in Miami 27-9 in the Wild Card round, and last week knocked off the top-seeded Titans in Tennessee 13-10 in the Divisional round.

Pittsburgh, meanwhile, won six of its last seven games to close the regular season then got a bye week as the No.2 seed in the AFC. And last week the Steelers advanced to this conference title game by stopping the San Diego Chargers 35-24.

The Steelers swept the season series from the Ravens this season, winning 23-20 in overtime in Pittsburgh back in late September, and 13-9 in controversial fashion a month ago in Baltimore.

Last season these two teams split their two games. The Ravens swept the season series in 2006. Somewhat surprisingly, four of the last five games in the series between these two teams have stayed under the totals.

In the first meeting this season, Baltimore outrushed Pittsburgh 103-69 and owned a 13-3 lead late in the third quarter. But QB Ben Roethlisberger and WR Santonio Holmes hooked up on a 38-yard scoring pass to pull the Steelers within 13-10, and on the Ravens' next play from scrimmage LB LaMarr Woodley returned a Joe Flacco fumble for a touchdown and a 17-13 Pittsburgh lead.

The Ravens rallied to tie the game with four minutes remaining, and then got the opening kickoff of the overtime period. But a couple of penalties backed them up deep in their own territory, and after a punt, Steelers K Jeff Reed drilled the game-winning field goal from 46 yards out. 

In the second match this season between these teams, Baltimore outrushed Pittsburgh 112-91 and led 9-6 in the final few minutes. But the Steelers drove 92 yards to the winning touchdown, which came on that disputed catch at the goal line by Holmes on a 3rd-and-goal with 43 seconds remaining.

Pittsburgh led the league in total defense this season, allowing just 237 yards per game (YPG). The Ravens ranked second at 261 YPG. The Steelers outrushed opponents by a 109-76 YPG margin, while Baltimore outgrounded foes 144-82. And the Ravens led the league in average time-of-possession at 33:22, while Pittsburgh ranked 6th at 31:41.

In the two games vs. Baltimore this season, Roethlisberger went a combined 36-for-64 passing for 437 yards, a touchdown and an interception. On the other side, the rookie Flacco hit on 27-of-59 passes for 307 yards, with one score and two INTs.

The totals have gone 9-8-1 in Ravens games so far this season, and 9-8 in Steelers games. Baltimore games are averaging 38 total points this season, while Pittsburgh games are averaging 37 points.

The Steelers top the updated Oddsmaker.com Super Bowl XLIII betting board at +160, followed by the Philadelphia Eagles at +180, the Ravens at +300 and the Arizona Cardinals at +400.

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