Browns vs Steelers Prediction & Picks: NFL Week 8

The Browns visit the Steelers on Sunday, November 1 at 1:00 PM ET in Pittsburgh, PA, on a back-to-back road spot, and they were catching three and a half when the guys taped on October 28. That was the number the guys played in the NFL Picks Week 8 episode, and both of them took the Steelers.

Browns vs Steelers Odds

The Steelers were 3.5-point favorites with a total of 39.5 when the guys taped on October 28. The money line on air was Browns +170 and Steelers -195.

Our Picks

Ryan Kramer (@KramerCentric): Steelers -3.5
Sean Green (@SeanTGreen): Steelers -3.5

Ryan led with the Browns’ rush defense, which the guys keep zooming in on, and a Steelers team that looks settled into running the ball. He said he did not really want to lay three and a half, but he sees the Browns as overrated, a team whose record will eventually catch up to what they look like on paper. He also thought this one could get out of hand, either because the Steelers pressure Deshaun Watson or because the ground game opens up play-action. It is dicey to lay more than a field goal, he said, but that was his side.

Sean started on the other end. In the AFC North he normally wants the team getting three and a half, and he could not do it here. He had the Browns last week against the Titans and watched them let Tennessee hang around. His name for Watson is the two-minute man: 24th of 38 in EPA per play this season, number one in the last two minutes. Sean also weighed the Steelers coming back from Europe. By his read the fade is not a strong angle, since the Browns are coming off a road game too.

The home history is what moved the conversation. Sean said the Steelers have owned the Browns in Pittsburgh, 22-1 straight up and 16-7 against the spread. Ryan asked when they last failed to cover a regular-season home game against Cleveland. The answer was Week 17 of 2017, when they won by four as five-point favorites. Ryan called it lock potential, with the only pause being the return from the international trip.

Sean ended up with Ryan. He pointed to the run game and the Browns’ second straight road game, and said that if Pittsburgh can run on you, you are in trouble. Three would be better than three and a half, he said, but he still liked the Steelers at the number.

Hear the full breakdown on the NFL Picks Week 8 episode, or listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Watch every game on YouTube, and download the SGPN app at sg.pn/links. See all our NFL Picks.