Steelers-Ravens game may not air locally for many

Everything this team has worked towards comes down to sixty minutes in a matchup that will be spoken of for seasons to come. If the Steelers win in Week 16 but somehow lose to Cleveland in the regular season finale at Heinz Field and the Texans defeat Tennessee, things would then come down to a tiebreaker. Previous year the Steelers did not have the luxury of controlling their own destiny.

They controlled the clock against the Ravens Sunday for 36 ½ minutes, which they also did the week before against the Redskins.They had five drives of eight plays or more, including a 17-play drive in the second quarter that was longer than the Peloponnesian War.

Baltimore and Pittsburgh are lined up to give us a great Christmas afternoon football game (4:30 pm ET, NFL) to watch and bet. A streak that seemed improbable after their loss to the Dallas Cowboys in November. Davis has benefitted from playing nearly exclusively at strong safety in recent weeks while Burns has gained the confidence of Tomlin and received more snaps. – Covers Expert Steve MerrilWHAT BOOKS SAY: “The Steelers are seeing 57 percent of the total number tickets, while the Ravens are seeing 54 percent of the total dollars wagered”. We haven’t had a home game on Christmas in my memory. Coates hasn’t lived up to expectations, but he did have a kick off return for 44 yards last week against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Ravens would also be eliminated from contention with a loss.

Of course, these scenarios are nice and all, but they would be put into some serious jeopardy, if the Steelers don’t take care of business against Baltimore mere hours from now.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin called Williams “the central figure in why they’ve been so stout against the run”.

The only two players listed as Out are linebacker Kamalei Correa (ribs) and cornerback Jimmy Smith (ankle).

“I think Shareece has picked up his game”, Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees said. Pittsburgh RB Le’Veon Bell has at least 100 scrimmage yards in six straight games.

Defensive end Stephon Tuitt will likely be a game-time decision for the Steelers in this one, which hurts, but defensive coordinator Keith Butler has done a masterful job of patching holes with his unit. He’s incredibly strong – and his brawny run game helps him break tackles and get extra yards after first contact.

42nd meeting. Steelers lead the series, 21-20. He will be tasked with limiting the Ravens’ through the air, which will be no small feat.

Artie Burns-He’s been playing some solid ball lately, will he step up in the biggest game of the year? This will be the first time the team will have donned an all-black look. ABOUT THE RAVENS (8-6 SU, 6-8 ATS, 6-7-1 OU): Joe Flacco (career-best 374 completions this season) threw two touchdown passes on Sunday as Baltimore posted its fifth win in seven outings with a 27-26 victory over Philadelphia.