The Steelers will look to inch closer to a possible first-round bye in the postseason as they take on the Browns at home to finish out 2017.
Unlike a lot of games in the Week 17 slate, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ matchup against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday has a lot at stake in regards to their seeding on the AFC side of the postseason bracket. However, it looks like the boys in black and yellow still may not care too much about this matchup.
A win combined with a New York Jets win over the New England Patriots on Sunday would give the Steelers home-field advantage in the playoffs to go along with their clinched first-round bye, but it seems like the Steelers may have conceded in that battle already. Possibly giving up on the Jets’ chances on the road in Foxboro, the Steelers reportedly will sit Ben Roethlisberger, LeVeon Bell and Antonio Brown on Sunday to rest for the playoffs, giving up on their hunt for the 1-seed.
Meanwhile, this may be the perfect storm for the Browns. They’re still in search of their first win in 2017, sitting at 0-15 on the year, and this could be the perfect chance to stick it to an AFC North rival in the last week of the season before the playoffs start to avoid complete embarrassment.
Odds: Steelers -13, according to Odds Shark
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The Steelers may be heavily favored in this one, but those numbers count on the Killer B’s of Big Ben and Bell playing on Sunday. Without those two, combined with the injury to Brown, and this one could be closer than some would think.
If the starters sit for the Steelers, I see them pulling out a close battle with the Browns to squeak into the postseason with their 2-seed.
Prediction: Steelers 20, Browns 13