While the Baltimore Ravens have indeed secured the AFC No. 1 seed for the season, the head coach, John Harbaugh, remains undecided over whether Lamar Jackson and other crucial starters would take the field against the Steelers on Saturday.
Steelers favored by 4 at Baltimore with Ravens likely to rest Lamar Jackson and other key starters. https://t.co/io6sfoDR5f
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) January 2, 2024
This has opened up a lively debate within the gambling world. The initial signs suggest a tilt towards the Steelers, considering their four-point advantage in the matchup.
leading the NFL command vast betting odds. The situation might play out differently for the Steelers who seem to be the favored team as per the sportsbooks and bettors.
The linchpin here is the Ravens resting their key players for the weekend showdown, a decision that could build the Steelers’ prospects.
At this juncture, it’s difficult to distinguish whether the bettors are leveraging undisclosed information about Harbaugh’s strategies, or if this is purely a guided conjecture.
Irrespective, it underscores the potential pitfalls in sports betting, particularly when bettors are keen to unearth inside intel before an official announcement.
If the Ravens decide to rest their starters, this could be a tremendous stroke of luck for the Steelers, who are aggressively battling for a playoff spot.
In essence, a triumphant weekend against the Ravens, coupled with either the Jaguars or Bills facing defeat on Sunday, could seal the Steelers’ path into the playoffs.
While sportsbooks also have the Steelers as the favored team, their reasoning could be based on calculation rather than speculation.
Using statistical analyses and previous performances as their footholds, their prediction might hold more weight.
