Cleveland Browns (0-0, 0-0 ATS) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (0-0, 0-0 ATS)
*ATS= against the spread
BETDAQ Line: Pittsburgh -7 (41)
Significant Injuries
Cleveland: DE Desmond Bryant (out– wrist), WR Marlon Moore (out– suspension)
Pittsburgh: WR Lance Moore (questionable– groin), WR Martavis Bryant (questionable– shoulder)
Recent Trends
Cleveland is 2-12-1 ATS in their last 15 Week 1 games
Cleveland is 3-7 ATS in their last 10 road games
Cleveland is 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games overall
Pittsburgh is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Week 1 games
Pittsburgh is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games vs. AFC North opponents
Pittsburgh is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home games
The UNDER is 8-3 in Cleveland’s last 11 Week 1 games
The OVER is 9-3 in Pittsburgh’s last 12 Week 1 games
The UNDER is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings between these 2 teams
Three reasons to back Cleveland
1. The Browns are getting a whopping 7 points here, which seems a bit much considering Pittsburgh wasn’t a playoff team last season and the Steelers defense is largely unproven.
2. Cleveland should have a stout defense this year, and the Pittsburgh offense really struggled over the first half of the 2013 season. If the Steelers start slowly again this year they’ll be hard pressed to cover the 7-point number.
3. Pittsburgh is a pass-first team and they really have only one difference-making wideout: Antonio Brown. If opponents can take Brown away they’ll cripple the Pittsburgh offense, and Cleveland had the perfect man for the job: shutdown corner Joe Haden.
Three reasons to back Pittsburgh
1. This is a mismatch. The Browns are going to be one of the worst teams in the league this season (as usual), while the Steelers should contend for a playoff berth. Plus, the Browns have lost 10 straight games in Pittsburgh.
2. Cleveland’s offense is going to be terrible. They’re starting journeyman Brian Hoyer at quarterback’s despite Hoyer’s horrid performance in the preseason. And now that Josh Gordon’s year-long suspension has been upheld, Hoyer will be working with the worst collection of skill-position talent in the league.
3. Ben Roethlisberger is an elite quarterback in the midst of his prime and he has absolutely owned Cleveland since coming into the league, compiling an 18-2 record in 20 starts against the Browns.
Prediction
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