When it comes to the NFL and even your fantasy football teams, the weather can significantly impact a game, and that is no different in Pittsburgh today as the Steelers take on the Ravens. Let’s look at the latest weather forecast for the NFL game today and analyze how it may affect the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens matchup.
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Pittsburgh experienced heavy snow showers Tuesday
The National Weather Service reported that the Pittsburgh area would experience half an inch of snow an hour in the early hours of Tuesday morning, resulting in around three to five inches in total.
The snow has stopped falling Wednesday morning
The snow showers had abated in most places Wednesday morning, which is a promising sign for the game between the Steelers and Ravens. Today’s Pittsburgh weather is not expected to be anywhere near as bad as it was yesterday, with a cold but ultimately clear day expected.
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When the Steelers and Ravens NFL game begins, the expected weather forecast is around 39 degrees, winds around 14 MPH, and a less than five percent chance of precipitation.
What impact will the Pittsburgh weather today have on the game?
For those of you with fantasy matchups resting on the performance of Steelers players on your roster, the weather forecast today in Pittsburgh is good news. Cold weather is not generally viewed as a problem for NFL teams, which appears to be the toughest part of today’s weather conditions.
What weather conditions today would have been a problem for these NFL teams?
The winds could be a problem, especially if gusts pick up during the game, but 11 MPH winds are not usually a major problem for NFL teams to overcome. That is especially the case with this game, which is expected to be heavily predicated on the ground game.
Additionally, the prediction of no more snow showers today is a positive sign for both teams. Snow and rain can make the ball hard to grip for offensive skill positions and lead to a poor football game.
Today, with the Pittsburgh weather not an issue, should you feel confident that your fantasy player can produce in this last game of Week 12?
This game will look substantially different from what we had hoped when this game was originally scheduled a week ago on Thanksgiving.
What should we expect from the Baltimore Ravens today?
The Baltimore Ravens will be without Lamar Jackson, Willie Snead, and Mark Andrews, to name just their most important offensive contributors that will be absent. It appeared as though both JK Dobbins and Mark Ingram might be active, but Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday morning that both will be inactive and Gus Edwards will get the start.
The Baltimore run game is often successful due to the threat of Jackson carrying the ball and making the offense guard 11 players in the run game. That is not the case this week, as Robert Griffin III will be under center for the Ravens. Griffin can carry the ball, but he is not as explosive as Jackson.
With Griffin under center, all of the Ravens skill position players receive a downgrade. Even with the Pittsburgh weather not looking as bad today, the Ravens skill position players may have a tough path to fantasy relevance, especially against a strong Steelers defense.
Will we see fireworks from the Pittsburgh Steelers offense?
This is where things get interesting because the Pittsburgh Steelers would love to run up the score on the Ravens. However, the Steelers will have half an eye on their Week 13 5:00 PM ET kickoff against the Washington Football Team on Monday.
Do not be surprised if the Steelers employ a “bare minimum” approach to win this one. Sure, they will be frustrated that their division rivals have caused their schedule to be messed up for the second time this year. However, Mike Tomlin is a superb coach, and he will not let this team get carried away.
The 2020 NFL season is about playing for a championship for the Steelers rather than putting a hurt on the Ravens in a dangerous spot on Wednesday Night Football. If you need big performances from the likes of Ben Roethlisberger, Chase Claypool, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Diontae Johnson, be prepared for a least a couple of them to have disappointing games this week.
Somewhat surprisingly, after the snow showers on Tuesday, it will not be the weather in Pittsburgh today that hampers the Steelers, but rather their desire to not risk injury on their march to the AFC playoffs and a potential number one seed in the playoffs.
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