Steelers open as 7-point favorites over Browns in Week 8

The Pittsburgh Steelers were far from impressive on opening day against the Cleveland Browns, but the two teams appear to have gone in opposite directions since Week 1. While the Browns are already in midseason form, losing three of their last four games, the Steelers have only lost once in their last four outings.

Cleveland continues to find new and innovative ways to lose each Sunday and it was a 59-yard field by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that doomed the Browns to their second straight defeat in their fourth overtime contest of the season. Heading into a rematch with the well-rested Steelers, the oddsmakers seem to believe the woes will continue for Cleveland in Week 8 after they installed Pittsburgh as 7-point favorites. The initial totals position has been set at 50.5-points.

Browns fans would need to flash back to 2014 to remember the last time their team emerged victorious over the Steelers, going 1-10-1 in their last 12 encounters. However, the last time Cleveland won in Pittsburgh was all the way back in 2004 and they are 0-14 in The Steel City since then. Given that the last game between these two teams ended in a very disappointing tie, it can only hoped that the Steelers will take their divisional rival a little more seriously this time around.

With a habit of playing down to the Browns’ level as of late, games against Cleveland have been much closer than they should have been and Steelers Nation will be looking for Pittsburgh to make a statement on Sunday with a convincing win. The total has gone under in eight of the Steelers' last 11 games against the Browns and Pittsburgh is 5-5-1 against the spread in those games.