Cleveland @ PITTSBURGH
Cleveland +8½ -101 over PITTSBURGH

BEST LINES:  Pinnacle +8½ -101 BET 365 +8½ -110 SportsInteraction +8½ -110 5DIMES +8½ -110 

Posted at 11:00 AM EST.

1:00 PM EST. The Steelers are one of the most popular teams in the market and it doesn't take long for them to heat up and their stock to rise. The last time we saw Pittsburgh, it was coming off a second straight win. That 28-21 victory over the Bengals had very much a similar feeling as this game despite the discrepancy in the spread in that it's another case of one of the Steelers "little brothers" trying to step up and take a swing. The Steelers often get the best from their division foes, which make them vulnerable in this spot, as we might be able to catch them sleeping after a week off. This game comes right before Pittsburgh is to head to Baltimore in a big "revenge" spot after getting destroyed by the Ravens on national television. Revenge or not, this is a lookahead spot to be sure.

The Le'Veon Bell situation dominated the headlines before and during the Steelers bye, as it was reported that the disgruntled running back would finally join his teammates and sign his franchise tag tender. As the week wore on, it was clear Bell was not going to report. The "will he, won't he" saga will not go away either, as there are now reports Bell could play for the team if he is not traded before the October 30th trade deadline, but one has to wonder if he's just trying to send one last "f**k you" to the Steelers front office and the teammates that have turned their back on him by stringing them all along before finally shutting it down and signing that big money deal he wants so badly somewhere else.

So what's different about the Browns since these two teams met in Week 1? Firstly, the emergence of rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield has given Cleveland some real hope, as he has not looked out of place on the pro level after breaking records at Oklahoma. The Browns are a balanced team and defensive end Myles Garrett was a big reason they were able to force overtime with the Steelers in that Week 1 tie after he forced two fourth-quarter fumbles. Garrett has seven sacks on the season and he's not the only threat, as the Browns have playmakers on all three levels of their defense. Rookie cornerback Denzel Ward, who many criticized Cleveland for taking with the fourth overall pick after selecting Mayfield number one, started his career off with a bang when he picked off Roethlisberger twice in that opening game. Safety Damarious Randall and linebacker Christian Kirksey have been ball-hawking as well, as they each have a pair of picks so far in 2018. The Brownies 2-4-1 record could be so much better than it is, but tough luck losses in New Orleans, Oakland and Tampa Bay, all of which were by just three points, went against them. Cleveland has already played in four overtime games this season and it is 1-2-1 in those games. Had a bounce or a kick gone their way, this team could easily be 5-1, as the Browns only stinker was in Week 6 against the Chargers. Win or lose, the Brownies have been competitive. Cleveland features a decent defense, a QB with pedigree that is getting progressively better, offensive weapons at key positions, which now includes Nick Chubb, who has a full game under his belt. That sits up this strong situational spot for the visitor. Again, the weed-smoking and diva Steelers are coming off a bye and they have their biggest rival, the Ravens on deck next week. We’d be shocked if the Steelers are 100% focused on the task at hand, which makes covering very difficult both through the front door and the back door.

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Our Pick

Cleveland +8½ -101 (Risking 2.02 units - To Win: 2.00)