Steelers Must Beat Browns and Get Help From Buffalo

Week 17 of the NFL regular season features an AFC North game when the Cleveland Browns host the Pittsburgh Steelers in a game Pittsburgh must win to leave them a possible shot at the playoffs. The current line has Pittsburgh favored by 10.5 points with the over/under on 47.

Pittsburgh enters this game with an overall record for the season of 9-6 straight up and 8-6 against the spread. On the road, the Steelers are 3-4 SU and 4-3 ATS. Cleveland on the season has a record overall of 3-12 SU and 6-9 ATS. At home, the Browns are 2-5 SU and 3-4 ATS.

The Steelers were in control of their own playoff destiny until last week’s loss to Baltimore and now need to win Sunday and get help from Buffalo to reach the postseason. The Bills play the New York Jets and if they can beat the Jets and Pittsburgh beats Cleveland, the Steelers qualify.

Cleveland has not fared well against teams in the playoff picture, as the Browns lost to both Kansas City and Seattle the past two weeks. Cleveland is 1-9 over its past 10 games and will have to start Austin Davis in place of Johnny Manziel at quarterback due to a concussion suffered by Manziel.

The Steelers put up 30 points or more during a run of six consecutive games before turning over the ball three times last week in their loss to Baltimore 20-17. A number of Pittsburgh players missed practice during the week as illness hit the team.

Cleveland will have problems on offense, as Davis will take the place of Manziel. Davis, a rookie, has just one start to his credit and that resulted in a loss of 36-3 to Cincinnati.

Pittsburgh has won five of the past six games against Cleveland including a triumph of 30-9 on November 15.

Cleveland tight end Gary Barnidge only needs 23 more yards receiving to become just the third Cleveland player to reach 1,000 yards receiving.

DeAngelo Williams a running back for Pittsburgh needs 101 yards on the ground to reach 1,000 for the season.

The UNDER has cashed in 5 of the past 6 games between the two teams.

Prediction: Pittsburgh will win big in this game and cross their fingers the entire time hoping that the Buffalo Bills can play spoiler and defeat the New York Jets, so the Steelers can reach the postseason.