Cleveland Browns vs Pittsburgh Steelers Top Betting Predictions

By: Dave Consolazio
January 9, 2021
- Sports Betting Tips
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Cleveland Browns vs Pittsburgh Steelers Latest NFL Betting Ods & Match Info
NFL Betting odds	Moneyline: Browns +222 at Bovada \| Steelers -285.71 at Bovada Line: Steelers -6.5 \| O/U: 47.5
When	January 10, 2021 @ 04:40PM ET
Where	Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA
Watch Live	CBS (US), Sky Sports (UK), Foxtel, Kayo (AU), NFL Gamepass

NFL Wild Card Weekend: Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Betting Preview

The Pittsburgh Steelers are 17-0 straight up and 11-5-1 against the spread in their last 17 home games against the Cleveland Browns including a 38-7 win at home over the Browns in October. Betting sites have backed Pittsburgh to try to extend this long home winning streak against its division rival when the two teams meet in the postseason this Sunday night.

The Steelers finished the regular season on a 1-4 SU and 2-3 ATS skid after going 11-0 SU and 8-3 ATS through their first 11 games. Ben Roethlisberger was excellent in his regular season finale against the Indianapolis Colts completing 34 of his 49 pass attempts for 341 passing yards and three passing touchdowns with no interceptions. Before that game, Roethlisberger averaged only 239 passing yards per game and threw six interceptions in his previous five appearances.

Cleveland just barely secured a playoff spot with a 24-22 win against the Steelers on Sunday as 10-point favorites while Pittsburgh was resting many of its starters. The Browns went 11-5 SU this season but went just 6-10 ATS including a 5-3 SU and 3-5 ATS record on the road. Cleveland was the only team in the AFC to make the postseason with a negative point differential, allowing 11 more points than it scored over 16 games this season.

The Browns were already likely going to have trouble on offense against this Steelers defense that ranked third best in the NFL in yards per game allowed (305.8) and points per game allowed (19.5) before they were forced to miss half of this week’s practice reps due to COVID-19 protocols. Pittsburgh’s elite defense should have a clear advantage over Cleveland’s average offense.

Whether or not the Browns will cover the spread as 6-point underdogs will likely come down to the play of Ben Roethlisberger. The same can be said of Pittsburgh’s postseason chances in general. Roethisberger’s late-season struggles may catch up to the Steelers eventually, but they probably won’t against this injury-laden Browns squad that isn’t as good as it’s record indicates it is.