In what should be a critical Week 11 AFC North showdown, the Cleveland Browns are favorites over the Pittsburgh Steelers. According to the sportsbook VSIN, the Browns carry the edge for next weekend’s matchup. The line initially opened at 4.5 but has now been reduced to four. The over/under is set at 38.
It helps that the Browns are the home team as the Steelers just wrapped up their three-game homestand. They’re also coming off an impressive comeback win over the Baltimore Ravens Sunday, winning 33-31 on a game-winning field goal by K Dustin Hopkins.
Both teams will enter this game 6-3 in the middle of a highly competitive AFC North. The Steelers sit in second place, the Browns in third, with Pittsburgh just a half-game behind the Ravens thanks to the Browns’ victory today.
For the Browns, they dug themselves a 17-3 hole and looked in danger of being blown out for a second time this season by Baltimore. QB Deshaun Watson got off to a dreadful start, throwing a pick-six to Ravens S Kyle Hamilton, and Baltimore soon opened up a 17-3 lead.
The Browns tightened things down the rest of the half and used two more field goals to make it a one-score game at the break, 17-9. Baltimore seemed to regain control with an opening-drive touchdown to begin the second half, pushing its advantage to 24-9, but Cleveland immediately answered with a touchdown drive of its own. RB Kareem Hunt took the ball over the goal line from three yards out and after a successful two-point conversation, the Ravens led just 24-17.
Baltimore again went up two scores thanks to a short touchdown run by RB Gus Edwards. From there, the Browns’ march was on. Another answer, a 10-yard touchdown from Watson to WR Elijah Moore, to make it 31-24. On the Ravens’ next possession, a batted pass at the line popped up into the air and was picked by CB Greg Newsome, who returned it 34 yards the other way for the pick-six.
But the extra point was missed, preserving the Ravens’ lead at 31-30. After a Browns third-down stop forced a Ravens punt, Cleveland held the ball for the rest of the game. Chewing up the last 4:55 of the game, they went 12 plays and 58 yards set up a game-winning Hopkins 40-yard attempt. It was true and the Browns won, 33-30.Â
For the Steelers, they did enough to beat the Packers 23-19. Pittsburgh’s defense picked off QB Jordan Love twice including on the final play of the game, S Damontae Kazee securing victory. It sets up for a big-time Week 11 contest that could help shape the AFC North. Pittsburgh has the advantage of beating the Browns earlier this year, 26-22, thanks to an OLB Alex Highsmith strip/sack fumble scooped and scored by OLB T.J. Watt for the game-winning points.
