It turns out that Steelers coach Mike Tomlin might just have a vulnerability…
…are the Browns the team to exploit it?
Tough Spot For Pittsburgh
What Happened: Much has been made about Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin’s ability to avoid losing seasons. Year after year, skeptics point to a reason why this is the season Tomlin’s team will come in below .500…and it still hasn’t happened.
At 8-2 entering tonight’s AFC North showdown against the Cleveland Browns, it would take a catastrophe for Tomlin to record his first losing campaign. But it does seem he has a bit of a weak spot, which might sway how you bet on tonight’s game.
Why It Matters: Astonishing but true: the Steelers have never won on Thursday Night Football on the road against a fellow AFC North team. The black and gold are 0-7 all-time in such matchups, with five of those losses coming under Tomlin.
Pittsburgh covered against the spread in just one of Tomlin’s five TNF road divisional losses. Tonight, his team will be giving 3.5 points in Cleveland against a Browns team that has lost seven of eight.
Perhaps the consistently poor performance of the Steelers in this spot will be aided by a famously up-and-down opponent.
Jameis Winston remains under center for the Browns, and we’ve already seen him swing wildly from one extreme to another this season. He threw three TDs and no picks in his first start of 2024, gave the ball up three times in his next start, and this past Sunday avoided turnovers.
Against an aggressive Steelers defense, Winston’s “close eyes, heave ball” mentality could help temper the pass rush, or hand the ball over to his opponent. Which version of Winston shows up will go a long way towards extending or snapping Tomlin’s woes in these specific circumstances.
What We’re Watching Today
The Match: Superstars (7:30 PM ET) – For the confused, this is golf. It’s an eight player field, mixing athletes and celebrities. We’d want to golf with Bill Murray and Nate Bargatze. Ken Griffey Jr. and Michael Phelps seem pretty chill too. But Sir Charles’ competitive streak (and awful golf form) may make him tough to play 18 with, and it’s an absolute no on Mark Wahlberg, who seems too intense by a few degrees for an event that’s supposed to be laid back.
Steelers at Browns (8:15 PM ET) – Neither of these teams are scoring touchdowns at high rates, but the difference is, the Steelers can win that way. (Check this one out if you don’t believe us.) Either way, enjoy feeling like you are watching a game straight out of 1973 tonight.
Magic at Lakers (10:30 PM ET) – Despite losing Paolo Banchero for weeks due to injury, the Magic have been treading water. They are amazing at home (7-0) but the opposite on the road (2-7), where they’ll be tonight. The Lakers have strung together six wins, due in part to their newest star shooter.
The Look Ahead
Najee Harris ANYTIME TOUCHDOWN – Despite the presence of Jaylen Warren, Harris has still been on the field for 50% of the snaps on offense in two of the last three games and ranks sixth in the NFL in rush attempts and 11th in yards. His touchdown total (three) is surprisingly low, but in an AFC North dogfight that might see rain and snow affect the on-field action, Arthur Smith is gonna lean on Harris plenty tonight. Enough to find the end zone? We certainly think so.
