NFL Week 12 XBOX Simulation Picks - Steelers vs. Ravens

NFL Betting – XBOX 360 Week 12 Simulation (SNF)

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens 8:20 ET

Both the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4, 3-7 ATS) and Baltimore Ravens (5-5, 6-4 ATS) will look to bounce back from last week’s disappointing defeats when they go at it in a crucial AFC North NBC.

The Steelers are only 3-8 ATS in their L/11 games overall and are 2-8 ATS in their L/10 games played in Week 12. Meanwhile, Baltimore is 10-4 ATS in its L/14 home games and 17-7 ATS in its L/24 games overall. Even though Pittsburgh covered the last two in the series, Baltimore holds a 6-3 ATS advantage over the Steelers since the 2005 campaign.

Weather: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 30s

It was shocking to see both these offenses explode out of the gates as the team combined for 21-points in the 1st quarter against a pair of top 10 ranked defenses. QB Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers offense got the scoring started when he hooked up with WR Heinz Ward on a 20-yard pass and catch to give the Steelers 1 7-0 lead just three minutes into the game. The Ravens countered immediately however, as QB Joe Flacco navigated the offense into the Steelers red zone with a number of excellently thrown balls.

The drive was capped off with a 12-yard run after catch by RB Ray Rice. The game wasn’t tied long though, as Big Ben and company cruised their way out to midfield on the back of RB Rashard Mendenhall. After the Illinois product got them to the Ravens 42-yard line, Roethlisberger pulled off a big strike to WR Mike Wallace for a 42-yard TD. Pitt took a 14-7 lead into the 2nd quarter.

The next 15 minutes of play belonged to the home team as they shut the defending champs out 10-0. K Billy Cundiff nailed a 31-yarder, and RB Rice notched his second TD of the game when he plunged into the EZ from 3-yards out. Baltimore carried a 3-point lead with it into the break.

After the offenses dominated the first 30 minutes of action, the defenses held serve in the 3rd quarter. Pitt managed a 45-yard FG make from K Jeff Reed, but that was all the scoring in the quarter. Each defense forced a turnover, and neither offense was able to cross midfield on its own (PIT’s FG came after a turnover in BAL territory).

The defenses continued to play well in the final quarter. After killing themselves with a turnover late in last week’s game vs. the Colts, the Ravens made things happen for them this time around. RB Mendenhall was stripped of the ball when he went up the middle and ran into the Ravens LB corps. ILB Ray Lewis stripped the ball and DE Haloti Ngata pounced on it at the Steelers 42-yard line.