Cleveland Browns: 5 Bold predictions vs. Steelers, Week 11
The Cleveland Browns can build some momentum with a win over the Steelers on Thursday Night Football. Five bold predictions for the Browns in Week 11.
By most accounts, it’s been time to pour dirt on the Cleveland Browns in the 2019 season. And while that may be true judging by how they’ve played most of the year, their win against the Bills last week means they are still somewhat alive at 3-6. With a soft schedule remaining, they could go on a shocking run. That starts on Thursday Night Football in Week 11 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Cleveland will play host to their AFC North foes in primetime on Thursday, hoping to get a winning streak brewing for the Dawg Pound. While nothing about their win over the Bills was what you could mistake as being pretty, they still got the job done and showed a ton of positive glimpses on both sides of the ball.
The question, though, is whether they can build on that at home against a Steelers team playing well, particularly on defense, as of late. Pittsburgh comes into this matchup riding a four-game winning streak and very much alive in the playoff race. Will that change against a potentially up-swinging Browns team, though?
These are five bold predictions for the Browns on Thursday Night Football against their division rivals.
5. Steelers sack Mayfield 4+ times
Make no mistake, the Cleveland Browns offensive line has been a problem this season. But while that may be true, they haven’t been giving up many sacks of Baker Mayfield as of late. Against the Broncos and Bills in the past two games, they allowed only two sacks in each game.
At the same time, the Steelers pass rush has been playing at a high level. From Bud Dupree to T.J. Watt to Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh has been making life hard for opposing quarterbacks, notching four sacks as a team in each of the last two weeks, including against one of the better offensive lines in the league, the Colts.
It would be great to say that the Browns O-line will continue to play at a stronger level than earlier in the year but I don’t buy it. The Steelers front is playing too well to believe that right now. And while Mayfield will still make some plays and won’t be under constant pressure in Week 11, he’ll be brought to the turf at least four times on Thursday.