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          NFL Nation

          Friday Forecast: Week 17 picks

          • Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff WriterDec 30, 2011, 12:15 PM ET
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              Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.
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          This is Friday Forecast, where we'll see how my predictions hold up against our readers'. This week, I will go against StrengthOfVictory (who correctly matched my total points for the Ravens-Bengals game). The other reader who qualified, BmoreNotLess, didn't record picks.

          Here are our predictions for Sunday's AFC North games in Week 17:

          Jamison Hensley

          Ravens 24, Bengals 13

          Steelers 20, Browns 10

          StrengthOfVictory

          Bengals 20, Ravens 17

          Steelers 24, Browns 13

          PREDICTION BREAKDOWN

          Ravens 24, Bengals 13: Both teams need this game as far as playoffs, so neither has an edge in motivation. The difference will come down to the red zone. The biggest weakness of the Cincinnati defense all season has been stopping teams inside the 20-yard line. The Bengals rank 26th in red zone defense, while the Ravens are second. Baltimore running back Ray Rice will be a factor around the goal line. In five division games, he has averaged 109 yards rushing and has scored five rushing touchdowns.

          Steelers 20, Browns 10: Even if Ben Roethlisberger plays the entire game, this one will be a repeat of the Steelers' game against the St. Louis Rams. Pittsburgh will control the game with its running attack against the NFL's 30th-ranked run defense. Expect another 100-yard rushing day for Rashard Mendenhall. But Cleveland won't let this game become a blowout because it will be able to run the ball as well with Peyton Hillis, who is likely auditioning for the rest of the league as he prepares to enter free agency.