We have reached the final week of the NFL 2023 regular season and as always every match in Week 18 is a divisional battle. We begin with a double header of action on Saturday which starts in the AFC North as the Baltimore Ravens host their bitter rivals Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Ravens go into the match knowing that they will be the number one seed in the AFC and will have next week off. Pittsburgh have to win this match and hope that Jacksonville Jaguars lose or Indianapolis and Houston tie to get into the playoffs.
Baltimore Ravens
It will be interesting to see how the Baltimore Ravens go about their work here. We usually see teams in their situation begin to rest players to ensure everyone is good to go when the playoffs come along, but their supporters will no doubt want them to end the season of their bitter rivals here. On one hand the Ravens are guaranteed next week off so they don’t have to rest anyone here but on the other hand matches between these two teams are never not physical and the last thing they need is for a key player to pick up an injury in a game which carries no competitive edge in terms of their season.
Baltimore have really hit form at a key part of the season. They have won 10 of their last 11 matches and that might be a reason why John Harbaugh keeps his starters in the game to begin with, to keep that momentum up. The big thing for the Ravens is they have laid some markers down in recent times. In the last two weeks they have taken down the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins, on current seedings their opponents in the Super Bowl and the AFC Championship game which precedes it, and look every bit the team to beat right now.
Special Offer
Sign up for a Boylesports account and bet £10 to get up to £20 in free bets! Perfect offer for the NFL! Click the image below for this great offer! New accounts only. 18+ T&Cs apply. Gamble Aware.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Beat them the Pittsburgh Steelers will need to do though if they want to put the ball back into the court of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who it has to be said will be heading to Tennessee completely devoid of any form. Pittsburgh ensured that once again under Mike Tomlin they would finish the season with a winning record, as they have done every year under their legendary coach, but that will mean nothing if their campaign ends in defeat here.
After a wobbly run of four defeats in five towards the end of November and into the first half of December, the Pittsburgh Steelers have won their last two matches but not enough results have gone their way for them to have their destiny in their own hands. They have cruised past the Cincinnati Bengals and Seattle Seahawks in the last two weeks and their offense has found some form. That will be key when they get set to take on the best side in the league.
Betting
This looks like a cracking way to get the final week of the regular season underway but it is a shame that Lamar Jackson has already been confirmed as a non-starter. We are firmly at the stage of the season where those who need to win are considerably shorter in the betting than at any other part of the campaign and the Pittsburgh Steelers would certainly appear to fit that tag. They have gone well in recent times but I still refuse to believe that the Baltimore Ravens are just going to roll over and have their tummies tickled.
Tyler Huntley isn’t exactly the worst backup quarterback known to man and we shouldn’t forget that the Steelers are utilising their second string trigger man as well in Mason Rudolph. I have never been a believer that must win necessarily equates to will win and while the bench strength of the Ravens is going to be tested here, I fancy we might well find that the strength is quite good. Baltimore have players playing for financial rewards in this match and with no competitive pressure on them I think the best team in the league can show how good the whole roster is and not just the likes of Lamar Jackson and Odell Beckham Jr.
Tips
Back Baltimore Ravens to beat Pittsburgh Steelers for a 3/10 stake at 2.40 with William Hill
Back them here:
