Pittsburgh has a bunch of talent scattered throughout the roster, especially on offense. The Browns are going to need to get several lucky breaks to keep this one close. Cleveland seems to be heading in the right direction as it accumulates young talent, but it will be a heavy underdog in this one. If the Browns somehow manage to win this game, it will be the biggest upset of the early season.
This contest in Week 1 of the regular season will go down Sunday, September 10, 2017, at 1
p.m. ET at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Opening NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Pittsburgh Steelers -9
Cleveland Browns +9
Over/Under 46.5
Odds Analysis
It’s a mild surprise that this spread doesn’t even hit double digits. The bettors like the fact that Pittsburgh isn’t giving a bunch of points as more than 65 percent of the money is on the Steelers to cover. The scoring total is interesting, as Pittsburgh has a dynamic offense but Cleveland is starting a rookie quarterback.
If Pittsburgh steps off the gas early on the “under” could be the correct play, and nearly 90 percent of the early money is choosing that side of the total.
Injury Report
Joel Bitonio -- The Browns’ offensive line has the capability to be above average this season, which would be a big benefit to a young group of skill players. Bitonio is one of the keys to that group at guard but he has missed the past several weeks with a knee injury. He is set to return to practice and should play.
Mike Mitchell - The Steelers’ safety has missed the majority of the preseason with a leg injury, but has returned to practice. The position group has been hit hard by injury, so the return of Mitchell seems important. The Browns don’t have a great passing attack, but rookie signal-caller DeShone Kizer has looked decent early and will try to surprise with a nice game.
Player to Watch
Le’Veon Bell -- The Steelers’ star running back stayed away from the team throughout the preseason to voice his displeasure with his contract. He finally signed the franchise tag tender and will play 2017 on a one-year deal.
Bell’s talent is unquestioned, but it’s fair to wonder if he is in game shape after so much time off. The Browns don’t have a very good front seven and Bell could be in for a big game as long as he is ready to handle a big workload.
If the Steelers don’t think Bell is quite ready to get fed the ball, they have plenty of other options. Antonio Brown is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL and he could have a big game, while Martavis Bryant is back from suspension and will also be a matchup problem for the Cleveland secondary.
Free ATS Pick
The Browns aren’t going to be awful forever, as the new management has been hoarding draft picks and is starting to increase the talent level of the club. Myles Garrett was the No. 1 overall pick in the draft and could be a star edge-rusher, while Jabrill Peppers and Kizer are also rookies with potential.
However, it’s going to be a long transition, and competing with the Steelers is too tough of a task. Expect Pittsburgh to get its offense rolling in this one to help pull away from Cleveland. The “under” is the call because the Browns could struggle to score in this contest.
NFL Odds: Steelers 27, Browns 17
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