The Cleveland Browns have been the laughingstock of the NFL for the better part of two decades, but the new-look Browns will look to win a season-Sportsbook game for the first time since 2004 when they host the rival Pittsburgh Steelers at FirstEnergy Stadium in Week 1. Sportsbooks opened the Browns as 4-point home underdogs with a total of 46.
- The Steelers are 14-3 SU in their last 17 games on the road against the Browns.
- The total has gone UNDER in eight of the Steelers’ last 11 games against the Browns (avg. combined score: 41.0).
- The Steelers are 10-0 SU in their last 10 games vs divisional opponents (avg. winning margin: 6.9).
Steelers vs Browns Game Center
What can bettors expect to see from the Browns?
The Steelers have historically dominated the Browns, and bettors would normally be hammering the black and gold in this series. But on the heels of a winless 0-16 season, Cleveland had its biggest offseason in quite some time by drafting 2017 Heisman Trophy Sportsbook Baker Mayfield, trading for Tyrod Taylor and acquiring wide receiver Jarvis Landry from Miami, among other transactions.
The Browns surely won’t go winless again, but the jury is still out on whether this new group can reverse the losing culture in Cleveland so quickly. That hasn’t stopped some extremely optimistic Browns bettors from placing Super Bowl futures tickets, as well as hammering the OVER on their season win total. The HBO series “Hard Knocks,” which features Cleveland this year, is likely a big reason for the abundance of action they’re receiving at sportsbooks.
Steelers have been producing in the Factory of Sadness
Many teams have entered Northeast Ohio and left with victories over the years, but the Steelers in particular have been excellent on the road against the Brownies. In Pittsburgh’s past 17 trips to Cleveland, it’s 14-3 SU. Home-field advantage has been non-existent for the Browns at the betting window, as Cleveland is 3-14 ATS in its previous 17 home games. Another trend working in the Steelers’ favor is Pittsburgh’s dominance over divisional opponents, as the Steelers are 10-0 SU in their last 10 matchups vs AFC North clubs.
What's up with Bell?
The status of Le’Veon Bell is rightfully concerning for Steelers bettors, as the all-world running back is doubtful to play in Week 1. Bell, who hasn’t been with the team during training camp and in the preseason due to frustrations over playing on the franchise tag for the second year in a row, is very likely to hit the open market in the offseason but will want to put forth a strong campaign in order to secure big money in free agency. On Wednesday, Bell's agent, Adisa Bakari, said that something has altered his client's plan with regard to returning to the team before the contest vs the Browns.
Why I like the Steelers to cover
While the Browns won’t be doormats anymore, I think it’s going to take some time for them to become a reliable wager. Taylor led the Buffalo Bills to the playoffs a year ago but suffered some bumps along the way, including multiple benchings. Mayfield is clearly the quarterback of the future for Cleveland but he’s not ready yet. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is not what he once was but he has plenty of experience in beating the Browns, and I don’t expect that to change any time soon. Take the Steelers as road faves.
