The Cleveland Browns host the rival Pittsburgh Steelers in a Week 17 matchup with a lot on the line. A victory for the Browns (10-5 SU, 6-9 ATS) sends them to the playoffs for the first time since 2002. A loss could leave them on the outside looking in for the postseason, a reality that would sting even more after a Week 16 setback against the lowly New York Jets.
- Date/Time: January 3, 1 p.m. ET
- Stadium: FirstEnergy Stadium
- TV Coverage: CBS
- Sportsbook Odds: Browns -1 | O/U 45.5 (Line History)
- Steelers vs Browns Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The game opened with the Browns as favorites at -1 but the line has moved considerably more in Cleveland’s favor to between -7 and -7.5 depending on the sportsbook. The total opened at 45.5 and has dropped to 42.5 across the board.
Pittsburgh News & Notes
It has been a tale of two seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers (12-3 SU, 9-6 ATS). The team started with 11 straight wins, a streak that was followed by three straight losses due mostly to offensive struggles.
Ben Roethlisberger, 38, leads the league in pass attempts, which has not helped the wily veteran’s efficiency stats. Big Ben ranks 20th in completion percentage and 22nd in both quarterback rating and QBR. Though Roethlisberger does have 33 touchdown passes (fifth in the league), his raw counting stats are buoyed by his incredible volume.
Luckily for Big Ben, he isn’t short on weapons as the Steelers have four quality receivers and a solid pass-catching tight end. Wide receiver Diontae Johnson is seventh in the league with 140 targets this season. Look for Johnson to be a focal point of the Pittsburgh passing attack in this game.
Cleveland News & Notes
It was an embarrassing loss for the Cleveland Browns in Week 16 as they fell 23-16 to the lowly Jets. However, the Browns played the game without their top four receivers after they landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list the day before the game.
Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, Donovan Peoples-Jones and KhaDarel Hodge are all expected to be cleared in time for this game.
Getting the receivers back should take some pressure off a running game that is usually the focal point of the offense. Running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt have combined for 1,763 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground, with another 450 yards and five touchdowns through the air. Look for Chubb and Hunt to be the featured weapons for the Browns in this matchup.
Betting Pick: Steelers +7
It is simply too many points to give the Steelers despite their recent offensive struggles. This would be an unthinkable line just a few short weeks ago. The Steelers defense is good enough to win the game on its own.
- The Browns are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games.
- The Steelers are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games in the early afternoon.
- The Browns are 9-3 SU in their last 12 games at home.
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