NFL Picks: Cleveland Browns visit Division Co-Leaders Pittsburgh Steelers
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
by Aengus Moorehead
Analysis:
Another week, another role for Joshua Cribbs.
Just days after he played the discontented superstar-in-anonymity prior to the Cleveland Browns' 24-10 home loss to Baltimore this past Sunday, the runner/receiver/returner has transformed into defensive enemy No. 1 as his team prepares for a Thursday night visit to Pittsburgh's Heinz Field to battle the AFC North co-leading Steelers.
Despite Cleveland's lowly 4-8 record compared to his team's 9-3 mark and front-runner status in the AFC Wild Card race, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is clearly not ignoring this contest because of a Thursday night meeting between the teams in 2009. The Browns, then 1-11 at the time, beat Pittsburgh by a 13-6 score to effectively end the Steelers' run at a repeat Super Bowl championship.
Instead, the Steelers dropped to 6-7 at the time and ultimately fell short of the playoffs after finishing with nine total wins.
In that game, which occurred two years ago this coming Saturday, the versatile Cribbs rushed for 87 yards out of Cleveland's version of the Wildcat offense and added 104 yards on kickoff/punt returns.
This year's Browns have struggled to find a recurring use for Cribbs, however. And the win two years ago remains the Browns' only one in their last 15 meetings with Pittsburgh, whom they'll play again at home on Jan. 1.
Cleveland has lost double-digit games in all but one season since 2003, and including its 12 games in 2011, is 38-70 since Cribbs arrived from nearby Kent State University in 2005.
The Browns' last playoff game was in 2002, when Cribbs was a sophomore at Kent State. Their last postseason win was Jan. 1, 1994, when he was 10 years old.
The Steelers lead the all-time regular season series with the Browns, which dates back to 1950, by a 60-56 count and as previously stated, have won 14 of the past 15 games played between the teams. Pittsburgh was an easy victor in both of its 2010 meetings with Cleveland, coming through with a 28-10 decision in Week 6 of last year as well as a 41-9 road rout in the regular-season finale. The Browns did record an above-mentioned 13-6 triumph over the Steelers in Cleveland on a Thursday night matchup in 2009, snapping a 12-game losing streak to Pittsburgh that had existed since a 33-13 win at Heinz Field in 2003. Pittsburgh has defeated Cleveland seven straight times in the Steel City.
The longtime rivals have also squared off twice in the postseason, with the Steelers taking both contests. Pittsburgh picked up a 29-9 win at home in a 1994 AFC Divisional Playoff and outlasted the Browns in a 36-33 thriller at Heinz Field in a 2002 AFC First-Round Playoff.
Tomlin is 7-1 against the Browns during his tenure as a head coach, while Cleveland's Pat Shurmur will be opposing both the Steelers and Tomlin for the first time in his present position.
Time & Venue:
- 8:20 PM ET, Thursday, December 8, 2011. Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Last Week's results:
- Cleveland Browns (+6.5) loses to visiting Baltimore Ravens 24-10.
- Pittsburgh Steelers (-6.5) beats visiting Cincinnati Bengals 35-7.
Last week's ATS:
- Undedog Cleveland Browns (4-8) loses and does not cover
- Favourite Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3) wins and covers.
NFL Football Odds: Steelers -14.5, O/U 39
Next up:
- Cleveland at Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, December 18
- Pittsburgh at San Francisco 49ers, Monday, December 19
Cleveland is playing the first of three straight road games before closing out the season at home against Pittsburgh. The Browns managed only 233 yards of total offense in a 24-10 loss to Baltimore last week. It marked the 10th time this season they have been held to 17 points or fewer. Cleveland allowed 290 yards rushing by the Ravens, including 204 by Ray Rice. QB Colt McCoy failed to throw for 200 yards for the third straight game and suffered a sprained knee that will limit his mobility against the Steelers.
Pittsburgh played perhaps its best all-around game of the season in a 35-7 win over Cincinnati. Rashard Mendenhall rushed for a pair of TDs as the Steelers scored 28 points in the second quarter. Ben Roethlisberger threw a pair of scoring passes to WR Mike Wallace and Pittsburgh’s defense did the rest, limiting Cincinnati to 13 first downs and 232 yards. Mendenhall’s rushing totals are down, but he has run for five touchdowns in the last four games. LB James Harrison turned in his second three-sack effort in the last four games.
The combination of an already suspect offense (Cleveland's) and an at least somewhat-gimpy quarterback (McCoy) and running back (Peyton Hillis) against a ravenous defense (Pittsburgh's) could spell bad things for the visiting team.
On paper, the Browns' defense looks stout. However, the No. 1 pass-stopping unit is flanked by a run-containing group that's second from last among the NFL's 32 teams. Based on that, expect Mr. Mendenhall to have a little something to say in the Steelers' offensive game plan.
Cleveland is four games under .500, traveling to hostile territory in a short week and housing a borderline star player who's becoming increasingly irked by the team's floundering and his lack of a prescribed role. Maybe it means another breakout night for Cribbs on national television. Considering how poor Cleveland's production has been on offense, it may need one as well.
Wallace needs 23 yards to reach 1,000 for the second straight season.
Josh Cribbs of the Browns has returned three kickoffs for TDs against the Steelers.
Cleveland and Pittsburgh rank 1-2 in passing yards allowed, but in the Browns' case it's because opponents are content to run all over them.
Pittsburgh is 14-1 SU in its last 15 games when playing Cleveland
Pittsburgh is 10-4-1 ATS in its last 15 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games at home
Cleveland is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
Cleveland is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
Cleveland is 2-5-2 ATS in its last 9 games
Every week, there are a few games on the schedule that regardless of home fields and teams' placements in the standings placements, a legitimate case can be made for both sides. This, however, is not one of them. The Steelers are in a playoff fight, they're at home and they're playing a foe that struggles to stop teams doing what Pittsburgh does best. Oh, and the Browns have beaten Pittsburgh once in eight years. Do the math.
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NFL Football Pick: Take Steelers.
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afc north - arizona cardinals - baltimore ravens - ben roethlisberger - cincinnati bengals - cleveland browns - colt mccoy - heinz field - james harrison - joshua cribbs
