Steelers vs. Browns Prediction: Pittsburgh's Offense Will Fall Flat Once Again
The Week 3 edition of Thursday Night Football will feature an AFC North showdown between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns.
We'll see a couple of new faces at quarterback for this edition of the historic rivalry. Mitch Trubisky has taken over as the starting quarterback for the Steelers, and Jacoby Brissett continues to start as a placeholder while Deshaun Watson serves the rest of his suspension.
So, which team will win the opening game of Week 3? Let's dive into the latest odds, courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Steelers vs. Browns Odds, Spread, and Total
Steelers vs. Browns Odds, Spread, and Total Movement
We have seen some significant movement in this game since the lines opened on Sunday. The Browns opened as 3-point favorites. The line has since moved 1.5-points and Cleveland is now set as a 4.5-point favorite. The total has moved two points, from 40.5 down to 38.5.
Steelers vs. Browns Best Bet and Prediction
The Steelers are 1-1 through the first two weeks of the season, and they've played both games close. But, that doesn't matter to me, I'm going to fade them until oddsmakers set their lines appropriately for what they are; a bad football team.
The Steelers rank 30th in the NFL this season in yards per play at 4.3. Their entire offense has been anemic, relying on turnovers and penalties to gain the majority of their yards. Meanwhile, Cleveland has been averaging 5.5 yards per play, finding a lot more success on offense.
Pittsburgh's defense is a shell of itself without TJ Watt in the lineup. They went from getting seven sacks in Week 1 with Watt in the lineup, to zero sacks last week. Not to mention, they allowed the Patriots imploding offense to average 7.2 yards per pass attempt in Week 2.
It may feel wrong to lay the points with the Browns, but the Steelers can only hide their poor play for so long. Cleveland to cover is my best bet for Thursday Night Football.
You can track Iain's bets on Betstamp here.