Steelers vs. Browns Odds & Prediction: AFC North Rivalry Game on TNF

In the NFL’s oldest rivalry, the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football in Week 3.

In Steelers vs. Browns odds, most sportsbooks opened Cleveland -3, but they climbed to as high as -4.5 on some oddsboards by midweek.

Let’s take a look at the latest TNF odds as well as our Steelers vs. Browns prediction.

TNF Odds: Point Spread, Moneyline, Total

AFC North Rivalry Game on TNF

Both teams enter 1-1 after losses last week. The Browns, though, should be 2-0. Leading the visiting NY Jets 24-17 with less than two minutes left, Browns RB Nick Chubb rushed 12 yards for a TD instead of hitting the ground shy of the goal line and denying the Jets a chance to get the ball back. New York then set an NFL record by overcoming a 13-point margin in the final 1:30 en route to a 31-30 victory.

Steelers RB Najee Harris rushed for 188 yards in Pittsburgh’s 26-14 home victory over the Browns in Week 17 last year, easily the best performance of his rookie season. But in the Steelers’ four games since (including a playoff loss at Kansas City), he has totaled 129 yards (2.7 a carry). This season, he has been hampered by a Lisfranc sprain he suffered in camp and aggravated late in the team’s Week 1 win over Cincinnati.

Pittsburgh QB Mitch Trubisky, who ranks next to last on the passer chart with an average of 5.1 yards a throw, vows to air it out a bit more this week. His longest completion through two weeks is 32 yards.

Now-retired Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger didn’t come close to airing it out in that Week 17 game. He averaged 2.3 a drop-back. No other team won a game last season without averaging at least 3.0 a pass play.

Cleveland QB Jacoby Brissett, filling in during Deshaun Watson’s 11-game suspension, is the league’s 15th-ranked passer. But the Browns are relying mostly on their rushing game, which averages a league-best 200.5 yards a game.

Pittsburgh’s defense, which led the league in sacks last year, had seven in Week 1  vs. Cincinnati, but none in its 17-14 home loss to New England last week. Much the same happened in 2021, too, when the Steelers followed up a seven-sack game against Baltimore in Week 13 with none against Minnesota.

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Steelers vs. Browns TNF Prediction

In order for Trubisky to have success vs. the Browns, he’ll need a lot of help from the running game — specifically Harris.

But on short rest after having 20 touches last week and dealing with a lingering foot issue, Harris isn’t likely to be making much headway. One TV analyst even said that he looked terrible. And it doesn’t help that the Steelers’ offensive line is considered one of the worst in the league.

The Browns, though, have key injury issues at the defensive end. Myles Garrett is expected to play after injuring his neck last week, but Jadeveon Clowney is out after suffering an ankle injury.

In summary, without Harris at full strength, the Browns hold the edge in a game that has the lowest over/under number this season.

Prediction: Browns 21, Steelers 13

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