With the understanding that the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to rest some starters in Week 17, Pittsburgh is opening as 6.5-point road underdogs to the Cleveland Browns according to BetMGM.
These two teams are coming into this game from very different places. The Steelers secured the AFC North crown on Sunday with their huge comeback win over the Indianapolis Colts. Meanwhile, the Browns fell to the hapless New York Jets, pushing them to the edge of not making the playoffs at all.
The Browns have everything to play for as a playoff spot isn’t assured. For Pittsburgh, the worst they can end up as the No. 3 seed in the AFC even with a loss. It’s highly likely head coach Mike Tomlin will rest some starters, starting with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Historically, Steelers versus Browns in Week 17 has been the swan song before Cleveland fires their head coach. This time around the Steelers won’t cost anyone their job but could spoil the Browns most promising season in more than a decade.
