The Steelers are reeling over the loss of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the Ravens are reeling over not winning a game three weeks into the season. Michael Vick will try and keep Pittsburgh above water during Big Ben’s absence and Baltimore knows that since the AFL-NFL merger, only one team has ever made the playoffs after starting 0-4.
ODDS
Baltimore opened as a 2.5-point favorite with the total at 43.5. The injury to Roethlisberger flipped the line for this game. Pittsburgh is the likely field goal chalk if Big Ben doesn’t get hurt, so it gives the bettor an idea of how much confidence the oddsmakers have in Vick. The total went up a half-point to 44, but this is a typical AFC North meat grinder game and the under has value.
KEY INJURIES
Eugene Monroe – Missed Sunday’s game with a concussion and is doubtful to play against the Steelers. Undrafted James Hurst started in his place and was effective in keeping the Bengals without a sack.
Breshad Perriman – Suffered a setback in warm-ups prior to the Bengals game, pulling up lame while running routes. The first-round pick has been out since the start of training camp with a knee injury. He was drafted to be the team’s primary downfield threat and was making progress towards a return.
Ben Roethlisberger – Will miss four to six weeks with a sprained MCL and bone bruise after taking a low hit on his left leg. Michael Vick replaced him in the third quarter and will start Thursday’s game.
KEY MISMATCH
Signed two weeks before the start of the regular season, Michael Vick is now in the spotlight as the Steelers starting quarterback following the knee injury to Roethlisberger. Vick replaced Big Ben in the third quarter Sunday in St. Louis and helped preserve the 12-6 win but looked somewhat shaky. He won’t have much time to prepare for his first start either, with the Steelers hosting AFC North rival Baltimore on Thursday. Pittsburgh was in scramble mode for a backup quarterback during the preseason when veteran Bruce Gradkowski went on injured reserve with hand and shoulder injuries and Landry Jones hasn’t developed the way the team had hoped. And now an offense that was supposed to carry a young, developing defense may have to rely on that defense to carry it.
KEY STAT
298.7 – Pittsburgh’s passing yards per game. The Steelers relied heavily on Roethlisberger to get this number to the third-highest in the NFL and it will surely come down with him out of the lineup. Watch for Baltimore to pay close attention to the Steelers run game.
BETTING ANGLE
After the first 0-3 start in the history of the Ravens franchise, quarterback Joe Flacco says his team is lacking confidence. “Right now, it probably comes down to the fact that we are not believing in ourselves enough,” he said. And that’s surprising, considering the Ravens have 36 players on the roster from the team that started out 3-1 just a season ago. But the Ravens have flinched in the fourth quarter every week in 2015. They failed to convert their last two passes in the end zone in the opener, allowed the Raiders to score the game-winning touchdown with 26 seconds left in Week 2, and took the lead twice in the fourth quarter only to give it back to the Bengals on the next drive. Baltimore is hopeful a return to the Steel City can get them in the win column. The Ravens’ last victory came in Pittsburgh 269 days ago.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
It’s hard to imagine the Ravens going 0-4 and it’s equally difficult to see the Steelers being as effective without Roethlisberger at quarterback. At one time in his career Vick was the premiere dual-threat quarterback, but age and injuries have caught up to him and he never was a comfortable pocket passer, which is what his game is about now. The Steelers will turn to running backs of Le’Veon Bell and DeAngelo Williams to turn this into a grinder and Vick will take his shots against a Ravens secondary that has been vulnerable. But it’s not like Baltimore was blown out in any of its games, in fact they held fourth quarter leads in the last two. They’ll need to learn how to finish, and do it quickly, before the season is over just a quarter of the way into it. Baltimore will take advantage of the Roethlisberger-less Steelers to get a narrow road win while cashing the under.
Baltimore 22, Pittsburgh 19
BookMaker sent out the NFL lines for this Thursday game at Baltimore -2.5 with a total of 43.5. Gamble on the game between every commercial break with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen on the next play or how many points will be scored in the next quarter. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers will kick off Thursday, October 1, 2015, at 8:25 p.m. ET at Heinz Field. The matchup will be televised live on CBS and the NFL Network.
