TNF: Pittsburgh Steelers at the Cleveland Browns
The 5-4 Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Ohio to take on the 3-6 Cleveland Browns in this AFC North divisional match-up.
Both teams head into Week 11 off big time wins, the Steelers taking down the Los Angeles Rams and the Browns scraping past the Buffalo Bills. Both side’s seasons have been littered with issues and a lot of under-performances but its Pittsburgh who come into this one with the momentum having won their last four games.
The Cleveland Brown ‘hype’ train was running full throttle coming into this year with the team acquiring stars such as Odell Beckham Jr and Kareem Hunt, but the majority of people who hopped onto that train have jumped ship as the side well and thoroughly crashed off the rails. The Brown’s have more or less been atrocious from start to finish this season, with the Freddie Kitchens experiment not going to plan at all and Baker Mayfeild forgetting how to play QB. It really could be described as a miracle that this team has one three games. In this game though, a team with as much talent as Cleveland has, they can’t be ruled out, playing through RB Nick Chubb will be key to them in this go and if they do get Mayfeild into rhythm then there’s always a chance.
As for the Pittsburgh Steelers, I’d say they’re in good fettle considering they lost their star QB Ben Roethlistberger to an elbow injury early on in the season. Add to this a far from easy schedule and having to play two games with your third string QB, 5-4 really is quite good. Pittsburgh defence has been largely the differentiating factor in those wins with new Steeler FS Minkah Fitzpatrick getting 4 interceptions despite not starting the season in Pennsylvania. If this defence is feeling it, it’s going to be a long night for Cleveland, add this to RB James Conner coming back, then this ones there for the Steelers to walk away with.
This one could contain a hell of a lot of 3-and-outs and be a real slow burner. As a Ravens fan, I’m willing the Browns to win this one to keep those Steelers as far from us in the standings as possible but I’m gonna have to take Pittsburgh winning this one 20-13.
Link to the NFL’s own preview - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dPPIlfxhHA
Kick off is 8:20pm ET and 1:20am GMT.
