NFL Gameday

Baltimore (0-3) at Pittsburgh (2-1)

7:25 p.m. Thursday, KTVT/11

Line: Ravens by 2  1/2

The winless Ravens are in uncharted waters, riding a boat with a leak. At 0-3 for the first time in franchise history, their slow start in the standings is reflected by early deficits of 6-0 to Denver, 10-0 to Oakland and 14-0 to Cincy — each team coached by former Baltimore assistants. But there is a beacon. The ancient mariner, 36-year-old WR Steve Smith, has back-to-back double-digit receiving games (10-150, 13-186) for his only time other than the 2005 playoffs. Steelers QB Michael Vick (so that’s where you were hiding) steps to the helm as Pittsburgh’s most undesired QB replacement since 2004 when Tommy Maddox went down in Week 2. In that instance, an untested rookie named Ben Roethlisberger stepped up and won 13 games in a row. Though Big Ben is out, likely for a month or more with a left knee injury, Vick will steer a bus that has plenty of offensive horsepower.

Stephen Schroats

This story was originally published September 30, 2015 at 8:05 PM with the headline "NFL Gameday."