Kickoff: Thursday, 8:25 p.m. ET
Line: Baltimore -3, Total: 44

Bitter rivals kick off Week 4 on Thursday night when the winless Ravens visit the Steelers minus star QB Ben Roethlisberger.

Baltimore has had a horrible start to its 2015 campaign, losing all three games (SU and ATS) for the first time in franchise history. The club has fallen by six points or less, and losing two key defenders for the season in LB Terrell Suggs (Achilles) and S Matt Elam (bicep). But Pittsburgh has also been short-handed this season with All-Pro C Maurkice Pouncey (ankle) out, star RB Le'Veon Bell (suspension) missing the first two games, and now QB Ben Roethlisberger (knee) expected to miss 6-to-8 weeks. Backup QB Michael Vick now takes over in this AFC North rivalry game where the home team had won four straight meetings until the Ravens pulled off the 30-17 upset at Heinz Field in the playoffs. While the Steelers hold a commanding 15-8 SU advantage at home in this series since 1992, they are only 11-10-2 ATS in this timeframe. Baltimore is 21-8 ATS following a game with 50+ total points under head coach John Harbaugh, and 14-4 ATS since 1992 when coming off an upset loss as a home favorite. But Pittsburgh also has a pair of telling coaching trends with a 15-5 ATS record in a home game where the total is between 42.5 to 49 points, and 11-3 at home versus mistake-prone teams (60+ penalty YPG) under head coach Mike Tomlin. Each team could also have some defensive absences, as the Ravens have CB Tray Walker (thigh) and DE Chris Canty (calf) both questionable, and the Steelers have three defenders questionable in LB Ryan Shazier (shoulder), CB Cortez Allen (knee) and DT Daniel McCullers (knee).

Can the Steelers beat their hated rivals on Thursday without the services of Ben Roethlisberger? For the answer, connect to NFL Best Bets for all the StatFox Experts picks throughout the 2015 regular season and playoffs. Through Week 3, the experts have a collective 61% ATS record (27-17-1) in NFL Best Bets, led by StatFox Scott's stellar 70% ATS mark (7-3). StatFox Dave and StatFox Gary are close behind with 67% ATS records (8-4) each in NFL Best Bets. Scott is also a sizzling 70% (7-3) in NFL Totals this season.

Baltimore has held the football for only 27:41 this season due largely to an anemic ground game averaging only 73 YPG on 3.3 YPC. Don't expect this number to spike on Thursday, as the Ravens are averaging a dreadful 65 rushing YPG on 2.8 YPC in their past three trips to Pittsburgh. Top RB Justin Forsett is coming off a 1,266-yard season with 5.4 YPC, but has been held to 124 yards on 3.2 YPC in 2015. He didn't do much against the Steelers last year either (45 rush YPG on 4.1 YPC), which keeps the pressure on veteran QB Joe Flacco. In the past two weeks, Flacco has thrown for a hefty 746 yards and 4 TD, thanks in large part to 36-year-old WR Steve Smith Sr., who has 23 catches for 336 yards and 2 TD in these two contests. He went for 186 in the Week 3 loss to Cincinnati and none of his teammates even reached 50 yards. Flacco is only 8-9 SU in his career versus the Steelers, but has been efficient with 213 passing YPG (6.4 YPA), and twice as many TD throws (20) as interceptions (10). Flacco had two great games at Heinz Field last year, combining for 562 passing yards, 4 TD and only 1 INT. The Baltimore defense has been solid in stopping the run (84 YPG, 3.4 YPC), but has allowed more than 350 passing yards in each of the past two games. Per usual, turnovers will be a key, as the Ravens generated three takeaways in both wins against the Steelers last season.

Pittsburgh's offense was certainly affected with the loss of Ben Roethlisberger, as it finished the 12-6 win at St. Louis with only 259 total yards. Backup QB Michael Vick did a nice job of keeping the lead and not turning the ball over, completing 5-of-6 passes for 38 yards (6.3 YPA). The 35-year-old Vick has had a career marred by injury and off-field troubles, but he's still completed 56% of his passes for 22,131 yards, 131 TD and 87 INT in his career. Vick also has one of the best receivers on the planet in WR Antonio Brown who has caught 29-of-35 targets this season, producing at least nine receptions in all three games. In three meetings with Baltimore last season, Brown racked up 27 catches for 351 yards and a touchdown. The Steelers also benefit from star RB Le'Veon Bell who made his season debut last week and totaled 132 yards and a touchdown. The third-year pro amassed 165 total yards in two games versus the Ravens last season and he will touch the ball at least 20 times on Thursday night. Pittsburgh's defense has done a nice job in stuffing the run this season, holding opponents to 87 YPG on 3.6 YPC, but it has also allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 72% of their passes for 255 YPG on 7.2 YPA. But the Steelers were much better last week in holding the Rams to six points and 187 passing yards on 6.4 YPA. This franchise has always been great at causing turnovers, but has only two takeaways so far this season.