Online sportsbook players who are particular fond of prop bets have learned to bet on the Cleveland Browns over the last couple of years. After all, it’s been 11 years since Cleveland finished with a winning record and picking them to finish under 8 wins has been quite profitably in over a decade.
Heading into the 2017 NFL betting online season, sports wagering fans will naturally want to take this bet once again. But is the Cleveland Browns finishing under 5 wins this season a guarantee? Online sportsbook players will get the first glimpse of this answer this upcoming Sunday when the Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Ohio to take on their AFC North rival.
Our week 1 unofficial depth chart » https://t.co/IC8FczsEtE#PITvsCLE pic.twitter.com/PKuikndApB
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 5, 2017
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns – Sunday, September 10th
When: 1:00 pm ET
Where: FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
TV: CBS
Stream: CBS Sports, NFL Game Pass
Online Sportsbook Lines:
Pittsburgh Steelers -9 (-110) 46 ½ (-110) -405
Cleveland Browns +9 (-110) 46 ½ (-110) +322
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers finished the 2016 season with an 11-5 record that gave way to a 1st place finish in the AFC North, marking the third consecutive season that the Steelers have qualified for the playoffs. Pittsburgh would go on to face the Miami Dolphins in the Wild Card round and winning that match 30-12. In the divisional round, the Steelers face the Kansas City Chiefs and scraped by with an 18-16 victory. That would be as far as Pittsburgh would get however, as the New England Patriots would hand the black and gold a decisive 17-36 loss.
The Steelers come into this contest as obvious sports wagering favorites. Despite the fact that they’ll be on the road, Pittsburgh should have little problems picking up the win. The Steelers have too good of a defense and too explosive of an offense. In fact, the black and gold might even be able to cover that 9 point spread.
Cleveland Browns
In 2016, the Cleveland Browns once again slumped their way to a mediocre record, this time a 1-15 one. It follows that the franchise would go on to finish last in the AFC North, the 6th consecutive season that the Browns have done so. Cleveland missed out on the playoffs for the 14th season in a row but hey, at least right tackle Joe Thomas got picked for the Pro Bowl.
The Browns are now ready to enter the 2nd season of the Hue Jackson era. Jackson didn’t get the results he was looking for in his first season at the helm, but the Browns didn’t look half bad in this past preseason.
Cleveland had to face the New Orleans Saints, the New York Giants, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Chicago Bears. Not one of those teams was able to defeat the Browns and even though only one of them qualified for the playoffs last year, winning four games is still something noteworthy for Cleveland. Granted it’s the preseason, but maybe it can help ignite a spark of confidence under the team.
