Here we go, folks. It’s one of those classic, muddy, AFC North games. Well, technically it probably won’t be muddy as there is only a 6% chance of rain. But it will be muddy in spirit because it’s Browns vs. Steelers football. An over/under points total set at only 39.5 feels appropriate for this type of affair. And the winner will walk away as the sole leader of the AFC North.
Both of these teams have been scrappy, to say the least. We’ll start with the Cleveland Browns, who are technically in first in the division because they own the head-to-head tiebreaker after beating the Steelers 27-24. That’s been on of Deshaun Watson insane FIVE fourth quarter comeback wins so far this year. It hasn’t always been pretty, but the defense has been stout, and Watson has done what it takes to win.
Speaking of stout defenses, the Steelers are still one of the better ones in the league. T.J. Watt continues to be massively disruptive, getting his hands on the ball seemingly every week. And Aaron Rodgers, even at 42 years old and while missing multiple wide receivers, has shown that he can still spin it. This will be an interesting duel this week.
🏅 Browns vs. Steelers Expert Pick: Deshaun Watson Rush Yards Over 25.5 (-108 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
If this bet looks familiar, that’s because it is. We have hit on this one a couple of times this year, though we did miss in Week 6 when the line was set at 29.5, and Watson ran for exactly 29. Regardless, the playstyle for Watson this year has been encouraging for better usage on the ground all season.
Watson is technically tied with Josh Allen for the most rushes in the league with 48. Yes, Allen has had his bye, so it’s not quite even, but it’s still 10 more than Drake Maye, who sits in third. When you remove scrambles, QB sneaks, and kneels to get pure, designed run plays, Watson actually leads the league with 14, with Josh Allen and Bo Nix being tied with 11 and no one else having more than seven.
If you look at the last time these teams faced, you’ll see that Watson ran seven times for 22 yards but oddly had a 21-yard carry in there. The reason the stats panned out that way is that there was a broken play where Watson faked (or possibly missed) a handoff, then turned around to run right into T.J. Watt, who promptly stripped the ball. Because it was technically ruled a run play, that counted as a -12 yard run. So the reality is that, without that weirdness, Watson would have had 34 rush yards, easily clearing this 25.5 line. And I think he easily clears it this week, something he has done four other times, not counting that Steelers game.
👀 How To Watch Browns vs. Steelers NFL Week 8
- Where: Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA
- When: 1 PM ET on 11/1
- Watch on TV: CBS
- Where to stream: Paramount+
🔢 Browns vs. Steelers Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines
- Point Spread: Cleveland Browns +3.5 (-110) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers -3.5 (-110)
- Money Line: Cleveland Browns +160 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers -192
- Game Total (Over/Under): Over 39.5 (-108) vs. Under 39.5 (-112)
🏉 Browns vs. Steelers Injury Report & Latest News
As we’ve mentioned, the top story here is that the winner of this game walks away with the division lead in the AFC North. Despite his late-game heroics, there are still some questions about the overall play of Deshaun Watson so this win would be a huge feather in his cap. On the injury front, the offensive line is a concern heading into the week, with Tytus Howard and Elgton Jenkins both sitting out Wednesday’s practice and Jared Verse also not practicing on the defensive side. The good news is that Quinshon Judkins is off the injury report and most of their major weapons are available. The rookies KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston have been heating up lately.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off a trip to Paris for their Week 7 win over the Saints and will host this game on their own turf, which must be nice after the international trip. These games naturally mean a lot more to Aaron Rodgers than most, as this could very well be his last season. As we mentioned, the Steelers are down Michael Pittman and Roman Wilson who are on IR but they could get Ben Skowronek back this week. Jalen Ramsey reportedly has a broken wrist that he has somehow managed to play through, so we expect that to continue.
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