When the Steelers and Browns kick off their Week 11 matchup, two teams with very different preseason expectations will be looking to put a stop to losing streaks.
For the Browns, having the worst record in football isn't too much of a shock, considering the dire straits in which the team has been almost consistently since the original Browns packed their bags and moved to Baltimore. What may be just a little surprising is that they've yet to win a game, dropping 10 straight to open the season. If they can't manage a win in any of their last six games, they'll join the 2008 Detroit Lions as the only 0-16 teams in history.
The Steelers entered this season as a potential Super Bowl contender thanks to a well-rounded offense that features perhaps the highest ceiling in the league. After a 4-1 start, things were looking largely on track, but a Ben Roethlisberger injury in Week 6 kicked off a four-game losing streak, including a last-minute loss to the Cowboys last week.
The good news for the Steelers is that Big Ben looked near 100 percent in the loss to Dallas, and as a result, they head into Cleveland as heavy favorites to win their first game since Oct. 9. The Pittsburgh passing offense has yet to hit its stride, topping 300 yards only twice this season, but a game against the Browns might be exactly what they need to break through.
If the Browns are going to win this game, they'll need to get back to running the football. After topping 100 yards rushing in each of their first four games, the Browns have been held to less than 70 rushing yards in five of their last six losses. Fortunately, coach Hue Jackson knows that he has to do a better job of feeding one of the few areas of the offense that has been effective, with the team's 4.7 yards per carry ranking sixth in the NFL.
#Browns Hue Jax on Crowell dropping off: "My fault. We have not rushed the ball. I have to put him in better situations''
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) November 16, 2016
If you're going to be held to less than 200 passing yards, as the Browns have been in three of their last four, the running game needs to be humming. Expect that to be the plan, as the Browns look to keep the explosive Steelers offense off the field as much as possible. Do that and hit a few big shots to Terrelle Pryor and rookie Corey Coleman, and you never know.
How to Watch
- What: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns
- When: Sunday, Nov. 20, 1 p.m. ET
- Where: FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
- TV: CBS
- Streaming: Verizon NFL Mobile App
- Sunday Ticket: DirecTV
- Online: NFL Game Pass (available to watch online after midnight)
- Odds: The Steelers are 8-point favorites, according to SportsLine.
Injury report
Steelers
- DE Cameron Heyward (Pectoral) -- Out
- WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (Foot) -- Out
- S Shamarko Thomas (Groin) -- Out
- WR Markus Wheaton (Shoulder) -- Out
- RB DeAngelo Williams (Knee) -- Out
- S Jordan Dangerfield (Groin) -- Questionable
- TE Xavier Grimble (Quad) -- Questionable
Browns
- DB Tramon Williams (Knee) -- Questionable
Prisco's Pick
The Browns haven't won yet, and they won't win here. The Steelers are in a must-win situation here if they are to have a chance to win the division. I think they take out their recent frustrations out here. Ben Roethlisberger lights up the Browns.
Pick: Steelers 30, Browns 17
