2025 NFL Wild Card predictions, odds, line, time, spread: Ravens vs. Steelers picks by expert on 53-26 roll.
2025 NFL Wild Card predictions, odds, line, time, spread: Ravens vs. Steelers picks by expert on 53-26 roll.
This Saturday, the No. 3 seed Baltimore Ravens will play host to the No. 6 seed Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card Round of the 2025 NFL playoffs. The AFC North rivals enter the postseason on opposite trajectories. The Steelers have dropped four straight, the latest coming against Cincinnati Bengals in a 19-17 defeat last Week 18. Baltimore secured the record AFC North title by winning its final four games, topping the Cleveland Browns 35-10 in the regular-season finale.
The teams split their regular-season series 1-1, with Baltimore’s 34-17 victory coming most recently, at home. Kickoff is slated for 8 p.m. ET at MT&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. The Ravens are nine-point favorites, SportsLine Consensus reports, with the over/under on total points at 44.5. On the money line, Baltimore is -549 (risk $549 to win $100), while Pittsburgh is +403 (risk $100 to win $403).
Before making any bets or predictions on this game, it’s worth considering insight from SportsLine NFL expert Mike Tierney, known for his deep knowledge of the Ravens. Tierney, a veteran sportswriter with decades of experience covering the NFL—including reporting from seven Super Bowls—has been highly successful with his betting picks. Over the past two seasons, he boasts a 154-124-9 record, yielding a $1,586 profit for $100 players. Notably, Tierney is 53-26-2 in his last 81 picks involving the Ravens, returning a remarkable $2,417.
Tierney has closely analyzed this matchup. His expertise reveals key factors to watch, including reasons to back each team:
2025 NFL Wild Card predictions, odds, line, time, spread: Ravens vs. Steelers picks by expert on 53-26 roll.
Why the Ravens Can Cover
Quarterback Lamar Jackson has been a dual-threat superstar this season, ranking sixth in passing yards (4,172), second in passing touchdowns (41), and first in QBR (77.5). Jackson also ran for 915 yards and had four rushing touchdowns. He ended the season with six in a row games with at least two passing touchdowns, including the great game against Pittsburgh on Dec. 21, when he went 207 yards and three touchdowns passing. Running back Derrick Henry is also a force to be reckoned with as he finished the season with 1,921 yard and a league-leading 16 rushing touchdowns. Henry had 162 rushing yards in his last game against the Steelers.
Why the Steelers Can Cover
Despite their late-season struggles, the Steelers have a stout defense, ranking 12th in total defense (326.7 yards per game), sixth in run defense (98.7 yards per game), and eighth in scoring defense (20.4 points per game). Linebacker T.J. Watt remains a game-changing force, with 11.5 sacks, 19 tackles for loss, and 53 total pressures this season. On offense, receiver George Pickens led the team with 900 receiving yards, while running back Najee Harris contributed 1,043 rushing yards and six touchdowns.
Betting Picks and Predictions
Tierney is going with the game to go over the 44.5-point mark and has uncovered a key X-factor that may seal the spread in its favor. To see which side Tierney likes and why, check out SportsLine for his pick, analysis, and detailed predictions.
Will the Ravens cover the nine-point spread or will the Steelers pull off an upset? Discover Tierney’s full breakdown and betting recommendations on SportsLine.