NFL Free Play: BALTIMORE RAVENS at PITTSBURGH STEELERS (12/27)

PRO FOOTBALL — December 27

BALTIMORE at PITTSBURGH
(Steelers -3, Total 43.5) — There was something about that last-second win over Green Bay that gives us the idea the Steelers may have found at least some of their swagger, even without Troy Polamalu as part of that defense. Now at 7-7, they can pull even with the Ravens by winning. With Dennis Dixon at quarterback, Pittsburgh took the last meeting to overtime before going down to defeat. Yes, Baltimore’s stop unit (18.7 yards per point on the part of the opposition) has shown more strength, but Joe Flacco and his crew of receivers don’t have what it takes to exploit Pittsburgh’s weaknesses the way Aaron Rodgers did. Ben Roetlisberger stretches the field a lot better, and a motivated team offers a lot more resistance than the patsies Baltimore are best at beating (Chicago and Detroit, which lost by combined 79-10 to Ravens last two weeks).

THE PLAY: PITTSBURGH -3 ***

(All information is for news matter only; All games are graded on a scale of 1-4 stars. Lines are subject to change)