Steelers vs Browns Odds, Trends & Lines

Steelers-Browns Odds

Did you know the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns rivalry dates back to 1950? After reading Steelers-Browns odds, should you pick the Steelers, who are tied with the Patriots for the most Super Bowl wins, or the Browns, who are still searching for their first Lombardi Trophy?

Pittsburgh has a moderate lead versus Cleveland in their storied rivalry of over 130 games. For those new to NFL betting, placing bets on Browns-Steelers odds may seem really challenging. Understanding the fundamentals of football betting can help you make the best bets based on informed decisions.

We have past Steelers-Browns game stats, recent betting trends, and all-time Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland series information. We also provide tips on betting odds like the Browns-Steelers spread.

Steelers vs. Browns: Past Game Stats

Wild Card (2020)

Moneyline: PIT -260, CLE +220

Point Spread: PIT -5.5, CLE +5.5

Over/Under: 48

Result:Cleveland defeated Pittsburgh 48-37, so the Steelers didn’t cover the spread. The total score was 85, so the game went over.

The Steelers hosted the Browns in the AFC Wild Card weekend game on Sunday night at Heinz Field.

The game featured Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski versus Steelers head coach and NFL championship winner Mike Tomlin.

The Steelers ranked among the top defenses in the 2020 NFL season. Pittsburgh won the year’s first game versus the Browns. Possible key players in the playoff game include:

  • Guard Joel Bitonio
  • Guard Nick Harris
  • QB Mason Rudolph
  • WR Juju Smith-Schuster

Why the Steelers Can Cover

Pittsburgh (12-4) lost a close game to Cleveland last Sunday, 24-22. The Steelers struggled during the end of the season, dropping four of their last five games.

Pittsburgh rested several key players in the final regular-season game. They included two-time Super Bowl champion and starting QB Ben Roethlisberger.

The starting quarterback returned after missing most of the 2019 season due to an elbow injury. In the 2020 season, “Big Ben” tossed for 3,803 yards and 33 touchdowns.

The Steelers also kept linebacker T.J. Watt out of the lineup during the regular-season finale. The former University of Wisconsin player was only one of a dozen NFL players to rack up 13 or more sacks in three consecutive seasons.

Watt played historically well versus the Browns, registering a sack in six of seven career games.

The Steelers won the year’s first game versus the Browns 38-7.

The Steelers had a solid defense and special teams in the 2020 NFL season. Pittsburgh led the NFL in various defensive stats, including:

  • Sacks (56)
  • Passer rating allowed (76.7)
  • Interceptions (18)
  • Completion percentage allowed (56.7 percent)

The Steelers were also a top-five team in various areas, including:

  • Total defense
  • Scoring defense
  • Passing defense
  • Yards per pass attempt allowed
  • Passing touchdowns allowed.

Another crucial statistic is that opponents only convert third downs 37.4% of the time. The special teams unit included returner Ray-Ray McCloud, who was in the NFL’s top 10 for kick and punt return yardage.

Kicker Chris Boswell was another key special teams player who made 95% of field goal attempts in the 2020 season.

Why the Browns Can Cover

The victory over Pittsburgh in the season’s last game gave the team its first NFL playoffs berth since 2002.

The Browns gained confidence by defeating the Steelers since it gave them a playoff berth. Cleveland also had a talented offense and the ability to run high offensive efficiency.

The team was among the top-five rushing defenses in the NFL and averaged 148.4 yards per game while totaling 21 rushing TDs.

Cleveland’s ground attack was critical in the victory. RB Nick Chubb gained over half (108) of the team’s 192 rushing yards. The former University of Georgia player completed a second consecutive 1,000-plus yard season.

In fact, the Browns had the NFL’s third-best rushing offense (148.4 yards per game).

Nick Chubb finished in the top-7 rankings for:

  • Total rushing yards (1,067)
  • Yards per carry (5.6)
  • Rushing yards per game (88.9)
  • Rushing touchdowns (12), a career-high

Chubb was complemented by RB Kareem Hunt. In his first full season, Hunt racked up 841 yards on 198 carries and six TDS.

Hunt was also instrumental in the team’s passing game, complementing the wide receivers. Hunt totaled 304 yards on 38 catches and a team-high five TDs.

In his six games versus the Steelers, Hunt caught 20 passes for 180 yards and a pair of TDs.

Meanwhile, the Browns’ passing attack included Baker Mayfield and Jarvis Landry. Landry led the squad with 840 yards on 72 catches.

Cleveland’s defense had some advantages over Pittsburgh in the playoff game. This situation was largely due to the Steelers struggling to move the ball.

Team Leaders and Most Valuable Browns-Steelers Players

Here are the team leaders and most valuable players of each team based on the number of points they’re worth to the spread

Cleveland Browns

  • QB Baker Mayfield
  • DE Myles Garrett
  • WR Jarvis Landry
  • RB Nick Chubb
  • DE Olivier Vernon

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • QB Ben Roethlisberger
  • DT Cameron Heyward
  • LB T.J. Watt
  • FS Minkah Fitzpatrick
  • DE Stephon Tuitt

Browns-Steelers WR/CB Matchups

Football fans consider individual matchups in football between wide receivers and cornerbacks very important. Here are examples of these matchups.

  • WR Diontae Johnson vs. CB Denzel Ward
  • WR JuJu Smith-Schuster vs. CB M.J. Stewart
  • WR Chase Claypool vs. CB Terrance Mitchell
  • WR Jarvis Landry vs. CB Mike Hilton
  • WR Rashard Higgins vs. Steven Nelson
  • WR Donovan Peoples-Jones vs. CB Cameron Sutton

Steelers vs. Browns: Past Betting Trends

Since the NFL added the NFC/AFC Wild Card round in 1978, the teams that went head-to-head in the regular-season finale played in the first round of the playoffs 14 times.

The team that lost the regular-season game battled back to win the postseason matchup eight times.

The Steelers and Browns split the two regular-season games in the 2020 season. Pittsburgh won the first time, and Cleveland won the second matchup.

Steelers vs. Browns: All-Time Series Information

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns played 139 times, including three postseason games. The Steelers won 77 games, the Browns won 61 games, and the teams tied twice.

In their first matchup in 1950, the Browns defeated the Steelers 30-17.

Steelers vs. Browns: How to Bet

Moneyline: This bet is a straight-up pick of the game’s winning team. It differs from point spread betting since the favorite team doesn’t have to “cover the spread.”

Live Betting: This type of bet is also known as in-play betting. You can place the bet after the opening kickoff airs on networks like NBC and during different game stages like the first half or second half.

The odds usually change throughout the game as it unfolds.

Parlays: This is one of the accumulator bets that include multiple parts. A bettor must win each “leg” to win the entire parlay bet. If they lose one leg, they lose the entire bet.

Over-Under: This bet is also known as a totals bet and is popular in other pro leagues and events like the NBA finals, MLB, and NHL.

Oddsmakers set a projected combined total score for a game. Bettors must select “over” or “under” that number.

Point Spread: The number of points by which a team wins or loses the game determines the bet’s results. A minus sign (-) indicates the favorite, and a plus sign (+) indicates the underdog.

Here’s an example:

Pittsburgh -6 vs. Cleveland +6

In this scenario, a Pittsburgh bet wins if the Steelers win by seven or more points. Meanwhile, if the Browns lose by five or fewer points or win outright, then it’s a winning bet.

If Pittsburgh wins by exactly six points against its AFC North rival, the result is a “push” or tie, so all bettors get their original bets back.

When placing bets on Browns vs. Steelers games, you have several betting options that can be used on other NFL bets, including:

  • Arizona Cardinals
  • Atlanta Falcons
  • Baltimore Ravens
  • Buffalo Bills
  • Carolina Panthers
  • Chicago Bears
  • Cincinnati Bengals
  • Dallas Cowboys
  • Denver Broncos
  • Detroit Lions
  • Green Bay Packers
  • Houston Texans
  • Indianapolis Colts
  • Jacksonville Jaguars
  • Kansas City Chiefs
  • Las Vegas Raiders
  • Los Angeles Chargers
  • Los Angeles Rams
  • Miami Dolphins
  • Minnesota Vikings
  • New England Patriots
  • New Orleans Saints
  • New York Giants
  • New York Jets
  • Philadelphia Eagles
  • San Francisco 49ers
  • Seattle Seahawks
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  • Tennessee Titans
  • Washington Football Team