Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns NFL Preview and Odds
The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns are one of the NFL's greatest rivalries. They are both old NFL teams that were sent to to the AFC after the merger in 1970. They wound up together in the old AFC Central Division unlike the other NFL team that wound up in the AFC, the Colts, who they put in the AFC East.
History
Since going to the AFC, the two franchises went in very different directions. The Steelers became of the greatest (if not the greatest) NFL franchises while the Browns wound up in Baltimore as the Ravens, and then re-incarnating as an expansion team in the late 1990s. To add insult to injury, the old Browns have won a Super Bowl in Baltimore and are almost always a playoff team, while the new Browns have floundered, appearing in only one playoff since their rebirth.
So we have two cities that are close to one another, with tough, blue-collar fans, but very different perspectives. Steelers fans are a proud bunch, boasting of six Super Bowl Championships, while the Browns fans have no idea what going to a Super Bowl is like. They are the loyal, but down-trodden, always expecting to be disappointed fans. So Steelers fans really get them angry. Other than the Ravens, there is no other team these people would love to beat. This time, they have a chance.
The Steelers are coming into this game down to the third string quarterback, Charlie Batch. But, don't forget, Batch was a start for the Detroit Lions early in his career. So he's not just a stiff. He can play. The Steelers also just added Plaxico Burress to give him another receiver to throw to this week.
The Browns have been getting better. They still don't win a whole lot, but they are close. They are 2-8 on the season, but their most lopsided loss has been by 14 points. They've lost by one point to the Eagles, seven to the Bengals, 10 to the Bills, seven to the Ravens, 14 to the defending Super Bowl champion Giants, four to the Colts, 10 to the Ravens, and three points in overtime to the Cowboys. So if Batch is a touchdown or two worse than Ben Roethlisberger, that could be enough to put the Browns right there.
Our Pick
Neither Bodog nor Pinnacle has odds on the game as of yet. That's because the Steelers may yet name another starting quarterback before game time. But it is still early yet. Keep checking with us up until game time to see if the game is put on the books.
Our take on the game is it will be close. If you can get the Browns with more than three points, jump on it. The Steelers may well win the game, but it won't be a blowout. It could be another very close game, perhaps even going into overtime.
Sports Interaction has the line Steelers -1 1.885, Browns +1 2.040. Over/under 34. I'd pick the Steelers -1 and the over.
