Week 11 of the NFL season will kick off with an AFC North matchup on Thursday Night Football. The Cleveland Browns will host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night in a game that will be filled with some heavy hitting. Both teams have struggled for much of the season, but they both are still in the playoff race. Don’t expect a ton of points in this game as both offenses have had their issues.
Pittsburgh comes into this game having won four straight games to get back into the race. The Steelers have improved their record to 5-4 on the season, and sit in second place in the AFC North. Cleveland was victorious in week 10, but this has not been a smooth season for this team. The Browns are just 3-6 on the season, and are in trouble of falling out of the race. Cleveland is a -3.0 point favorite on Thursday Night Football.
Steelers Defense is Stepping Up
The reason that the Steelers have won four straight games has been the play of their defense. Pittsburgh has given up less than 20 points per game this season, but they have been much better than that of late. Linebacker T.J. Watt leads the team with 9.5 sacks this season, but he has gotten plenty of help. The Steelers have racked up a total of 33 sacks so far this season, and they will put a ton of pressure on Baker Mayfield in this game.
Quarterback Mason Rudolph is definitely not as great as Ben Roethlisberger, but he has done a great job since taking over the job. Rudolph has completed 65 percent of his passes this season, and has done a great job of taking care of the ball. Running back James Conner is expected to return for this game as well, and his presence will give the Steelers offense a big boost.
Browns Still Need More From Mayfield, Offense
If the Cleveland Browns are going to play their way back into the playoff race then Baker Mayfield and the offense are going to have to play better. Mayfield has struggled with accuracy and interceptions this season, and it’s killed the Browns team. The second-year quarterback has completed less than 60 percent of his passes, and has three more interceptions than touchdowns. The Browns do run the ball well, but that could be a challenge against the Steelers. Cleveland is averaging over 123 rushing yards per game, and running back Nick Chubb is closing in on 1,000 yards.
Defensive end Myles Garrett has racked up 10 sacks so far this season, and he is the clear leader of the Browns defense. Cleveland has recorded 29 sacks on the season, and they will make life difficult for Mason Rudolph. The Browns are susceptible to big plays, and their secondary has been decimated with injury. The Cleveland defense will need some help from their offense to win this game.
Steelers Win Fourth Straight Game
Both of these teams are trying to play their way back into the playoff race in the AFC, but the loser in this game will be in big trouble. These two teams will meet up two times in the next three weeks, and there is no love lost between these two franchises. Pittsburgh has found a way to win despite getting hammered with injuries, and they are on a roll. This has not been a great season for the Browns, but they can still turn it around. Look for the Steelers to stay hot and deliver a crushing blow to the Browns’ playoff chances in this game. Take the +3.0 points and bet the Steelers over the Browns on Thursday Night Football. When betting the Steelers, bet at our favorite pay per head bookie at PayPerHead247.
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