Pittsburgh (8-2) at Cleveland (2-8)
Thursday, 8 p.m. EST, Amazon Prime.
BetMGM NFL Odds: Steelers by 3 1/2.
Against the spread: Steelers 8-2; Browns 3-7.
Series record: Steelers lead 79-62-1.
Last meeting: Browns beat Steelers 13-10 on Nov. 19, 2023, in Cleveland.
Last week: Steelers beat Ravens 18-16; Browns lost to Saints 35-14.
Steelers offense: overall (19), rush (8), pass (28), scoring (14).
Steelers defense: overall (8), rush (4), pass (19), scoring (2).
Browns offense: overall (27), rush (29), pass (20), scoring (31).
Browns defense: overall (19), rush (24), pass (17), scoring (24).
Turnover differential: Steelers plus-11; Browns minus-5.
Steelers player to watch
WR George Pickens. Perhaps no player has benefitted more from QB Russell Wilson’s arrival in the starting lineup than Pickens. The 6-foot-3 third-year wideout has become Wilson’s go-to in almost every situation. Pickens had a season high in targets (12) and receptions (eight) last week against the Ravens and his 48 catches on the season are more than the next four receivers on the depth chart combined (35).
Browns player to watch
RB Nick Chubb. He’ll face the Steelers for the first time since suffering a gruesome knee injury against them last season. Chubb’s inspiring comeback has been one of the only positives this season for the Browns. In his fourth game back, Chubb gained 50 yards last week but was only on the field for 22 plays as the team continues to manage his workload following his second knee reconstruction.
Key matchup
Steelers LB/edge rusher T.J. Watt versus Browns RT Jack Conklin. Watt is having another Watt-like season — 7 1/2 sacks, four forced fumbles, two recoveries and 12 tackles for loss through 10 games. Pittsburgh moves Watt from side to side but he’ll primarily be lined up against Conklin, who will likely need some help to keep QB Jameis Winston upright.
Key injuries
Steelers: OLB Alex Highsmith will miss his second straight game with an ankle injury. Nick Herbig started in Highsmith’s place against Baltimore on Sunday and forced a fumble on the game’s opening series.
Browns: DE Myles Garrett (hip) missed practice on Tuesday but is expected to play. … Starting LT Dawand Jones broke his leg last week and is done for the season. His loss is further complicated by Jedrick Wills Jr. (knee), who sat out last week and will also miss Thursday’s game. Germain Ifedi will start for the Browns.
Series notes
The heated rivalry has been more balanced in recent years after being dominated by the Steelers for most of two decades. … Pittsburgh won 12 straight, 17 of 18 and 25 of 28 from 2000-14. … The Steelers are just 1-4-1 in their past six visits to Cleveland, losing twice on Thursday night. … The Browns have won eight straight home games on Thursdays. … Overall, Cleveland has won six in a row on Thursday night.
Stats and stuff
The Steelers have won five straight, the past four with Wilson taking over after missing the first six games with a calf injury. … Pittsburgh is 0-3 on the road on Thursday nights against the Browns, including losses in 2019 and 2022. … The Steelers are 67-39-4 all time against QBs taken No. 1 overall in the draft as Winston was in 2015 by Tampa in 2015. … Pittsburgh needs just one victory or tie in its last eight games to assure the franchise of its 21st straight non-losing season, the past 18 under coach Mike Tomlin. … Watt has thrived against the Browns. Watt has 17 sacks against Cleveland in his career, tied for the most against any Pittsburgh opponent (Baltimore). … Pittsburgh K Chris Boswell is 29 of 30 on the season and provided all of the Steelers’ points in wins over Atlanta and Baltimore, games in which Boswell made all six of his field-goal attempts. Pittsburgh is 2-0 this season when the offense doesn’t score a touchdown. The rest of the NFL is 2-13 in such games. … One of the reason’s Boswell has been so busy is that Pittsburgh’s offense has sputtered in the red zone. The Steelers have turned just 16 of their 36 trips inside the opponent’s 20 into touchdowns, that’s the third-lowest touchdown rate (44.4 percent) in the league. … Pittsburgh’s defense is among the league’s best, particularly after halftime. The Steelers are allowing just 6.4 points in the second half, tops in the NFL. … Cleveland begins a critical stretch with coach Kevin Stefanski’s future in doubt despite winning the AP Coach of the Year honor last season. … Winston is coming off his best game with the Browns, throwing for 395 yards and two TDs in his third start of 2024. … This will be Winston’s first career game against the Steelers, who were the only NFL team he had not faced. … Chubb has 717 yards rushing and three TDs in 10 games against the Steelers. … There’s a rivalry within the rivalry between Watt and Garrett, the reigning AP Defensive Player of the Year and the 2021 winner. When Garrett won the award, Watt felt slighted and posted “Nothing I’m not used to” on social media. Watt had more sacks (19) than Garrett (14) last season. … Browns WR Jerry Jeudy had six catches last week for 142 yards, including an 89-yard TD. … CB Denzel Ward finally got his first interception — and Cleveland’s second all season — last week despite playing hurt. Ward leads the league with 17 passes defensed. …. Normally reliable K Dustin Hopkins missed three field goals against the Saints. He’s just 4 of 8 on kicks of at least 50 yards after making all eight attempts from 50 and beyond last year.
Fantasy tip
While Pickens has developed nice chemistry with Wilson, he’ll likely be matched up against Ward, who is playing as well as any corner in the league. Also, the weather forecast of cold, wind and maybe snow could make passing a challenge. A better play might be to go with Steelers RB Najee Harris, who has run for a career-best 493 yards and four TDs against the Browns.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
