[1:00 PM] Steelers @ Browns

Who will WIN this matchup?

Pittsburgh Steelers (4-5)

@ Cleveland Browns (0-10)

 

• The line for this game is Steelers by 8 points.

• The Cleveland Browns are churning toward a winless season, but the Pittsburgh Steelers are in a free fall of their own as they prepare to visit their AFC North Division rivals on Sunday. Following a 4-1 start to the season, Pittsburgh has dropped four in a row – its longest skid since opening the 2013 season with four straight defeats.

• A date with Cleveland couldn’t come at a better time for reeling Pittsburgh, which also has lost three in a row on the road and plays four of its next five away from home. While Ben Roethlisberger and the offense managed to get untracked in last week’s 35-30 home loss, the defense permitted the Cowboys to put together a pair of late 75-yard touchdown drives. Frustrated by his team’s inability to stop the opposition, coach Mike Tomlin is taking what appears to be a desperate measure by moving veteran linebacker James Harrison into the starting lineup. Harrison was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2008, but he’s now 38 years old, already has come out of retirement once and has made only 19 tackles on the season.

• For a team that has featured an NFL-high 26 different starting quarterbacks since 1999, it hardly comes as a surprise that first-year coach Hue Jackson has had a revolving door under center. Jackson made a surprise move last week, pulling rookie Cody Kessler in the third quarter in favor of veteran Josh McCown with the Browns trailing by six points, but he is turning back to third-round pick Kessler to face Pittsburgh. Jackson also needs to solve major issues on his defense, which is yielding 30.1 points and 419.1 yards — ranking 31st in each category.

• Roethlisberger owns a 20-2 career record against Cleveland.

• Browns TE Gary Barnidge has made 14 catches for 131 yards and a touchdown in the last two matchups against Pittsburgh.

• Steelers WR Antonio Brown has registered at least 100 yards receiving in five straight games versus the Browns.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers

Confidence: 7/10

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