Steelers vs. Browns Preview

C'mon. It's the Browns.

I know that they've been close in every game this year. I know they've fought hard. I know they're a young team with something to prove and they just beat the Bengals and hung tough against the Falcons. I know they hate us more than we hate them. I know they beat us when they were 1-12 last season and we needed to win to stay in the playoff hunt.

But... it's the Browns.

I also know that Colt McCoy will be starting, Peyton Hillis is gimpy, and they don't have any legitimate receiving threats. The defense has been (mostly) unstoppable this year, so they should crush Cleveland.

The Browns are 14 point underdogs (the line started at 15.5, so Vegas is obviously trying to push the action to Cleveland) and that has to upset them. But, the last time I talked about an upsetting point spread, the Steelers beat Tampa 38-10.

I think the defense will be fine and this is the lightest challenge they have faced thus far this season. I think the real x-factor here is Ben Roethlisberger.

He's started two Super Bowls (XL and XLIII, which the Steelers won), a number of playoff games, and a number of games where he was returning from a serious injury (or bike crash), but this may be the most important start of Roethlisberger's career.

He knows the fans are mad at him. He knows that he needs to make it up to them. He knows that the best way to do that is to go out and destroy the Browns in his first start back. Then, he needs to keep winning and keep playing well. He also needs to stay out of trouble and keep Lil' Roethlisberger in his pants, but I think we all knew that.

The team weathered those first four games and did very well. It's now time for Roethlisberger to take over and prove that he's an elite quarterback that makes this team significantly better. I think he can do that. I think he knows what's at stake on Sunday and I think he will be able to handle it and handle it well.

Really, the only thing that scares me is Josh Cribbs. If that dude blows up and/or Cleveland gets a defensive touchdown, the Steelers could be in for a long day. Even if those things do happen, though, I still think the Steelers win, just not by as much. I think they know that there's too much on the line to come out flat. I don't think they come out flat. I think they come out fired up and that makes all the difference.

Prediction:

Steelers 28, Browns 10