NFL Thursday Night Football Preview: Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Mark your calendar for the upcoming Thursday Night Football matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers (8-2) and the Cleveland Browns (2-8) on November 21 at 8:15 PM ET at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio. The Steelers are slightly favored on the road with a point spread at -3.5 (-110).
Pittsburgh Steelers Betting Preview
The Steelers are riding a five-game win streak coming into this matchup. They are fresh off an 18-16 victory over the Baltimore Ravens, which ended when the Ravens could not convert on a two-point conversion after scoring a touchdown late.
Russell Wilson completed 23 of 36 passes for 205 yards but did throw an interception. Thankfully, this was their only turnover of the game. Najee Harris kept the ground game going with a solid 63 yards on 18 carries.
They established 303 yards and forced the Ravens into three turnovers. One of those included the game-winning play when they forced Lamar Jackson to make a bad throw on the two-point conversion.
The Steelers average 23.3 points per game, ranking 14th in the league. On defense, they hold teams to 16.2 points per contest, ranking second. This spread has been one key reason for their success this season.
Cleveland Browns Betting Preview
The Browns have lost their last two games, both by double digits. Their most recent defeat was a 35-14 performance against the New Orleans Saints. This game was respectable up until the fourth quarter, when the Saints went 21-0 to finish the game.
The offense was not a huge issue here, but they needed to pick it up defensively. Jameis Winston connected 30 of 46 passes for 395 yards along with two touchdowns. Jerry Jeudy had six receptions totaling 146 yards and had a touchdown.
On paper, the Browns were not that far away from the Saints offensively. They put up 443 yards and allowed the Saints to get 473 and even forced two turnovers. The defensive breakdowns in the fourth clearly ruined their chances to win.
The Browns are averaging 16.2 points per game and rank 31st overall. Their defense is allowing opponents to average 24.8 points per game, ranking 24th. This spread will be difficult to overcome against the Steelers.
Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick
MyBookie has posted their NFL betting odds for the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns showdown, which currently favor the Steelers by 3.5 points. Market analysis shows the Steelers have a 53.6 percent chance of winning this game outright.
The Browns had a legitimate chance against the Saints but could not play strong in one last quarter. The Steelers have a better chance altogether on both sides of the ball to win and cover the spread.