Phil Agius
Show Bio
This week we are treated to two games on Monday night of NFL Week 2, and while fans of the Panthers and Saints may want to miss the first half of Browns vs Steelers to see the conclusion of the first game, many fans will be switching channels at 8:15 pm ET in order to see this AFC North grudge match.
The Browns (1-0) are favored by the sportsbooks for a regular-season road game in Pittsburgh for the first time in 34 years and looking to send a further message to their division rivals after beating the Bengals last week. The Steelers are looking to restore some pride after a heavy home loss to the 49ers and are not exactly unaccustomed to registering home wins over the Browns.
Here’s my Same Game Parlay for Sunday Night Football, which pays out at +576 odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.
Browns -2.5 (-110)
Under 38.5 points (-114)
Nick Chubb to score a touchdown (+110)
Same Game Parlay odds: +576
You can bet this Browns vs Steelers Same Game Parlay with FanDuel Sportsbook, which has the best odds available and a great new customer offer where you can bet $5 and receive $200 in bonus bets plus $100 off NFL Sunday Ticket! Click here to take advantage of this can’t-miss offer.
Browns -2.5 (-110) over Steelers
The Browns’ only regular-season win in Pittsburgh since they returned in 1999 was way back in 2003, although they did win there in the playoffs 3 years ago when no fans were able to be there to savor the moment. Expect more crowd noise on Monday as things are very different in 2023 and Cleveland is a worthy favorite this time. The Browns crushed a Bengals team that has been to the last two AFC Championship games 24-3 in Week 1, limiting Joe Burrow to a career-low 82 passing yards, while running for 206 yards themselves. In contrast, the Steelers went down 30-7 to the 49ers while managing just 41 rushing yards — a fifth of the Browns’ tally.
Browns QB Deshaun Watson was not great in the first half against the Bengals, but conditions were harsh and he outperformed Burrow by some way, showing potential in his connections with Amari Cooper, Elijah Moore and Marquise Goodwin. The Browns might have been at risk of a letdown this week after their big win, but the Steelers are the perfect opponents to keep their minds focused and they should be hopeful of keeping preseason MVP Kenny Pickett at arm’s length while grinding out enough points themselves to make a rare 2-0 start.
Check out our Cleveland Browns vs Pittsburgh Steelers predictions
Under 38.5 points (-114)
There remain more questions for the offenses of these teams to answer than the defenses, and a relatively low-scoring battle looks likely. Both played in Week 1 games that saw 1 of the teams fail to post a double-digit score, and both those contests failed to reach even the modest game total set for this matchup. The Browns allowed only 3 points to a high-powered Bengals offense, with Ja’Marr Chase limited to 39 receiving yards and Tee Higgins failing to catch a single ball despite being targeted 8 times. The Steelers will now have to deal with the impressive Browns cornerback trio of Denzel Ward, MJ Emerson and Greg Newsome without WR Diontae Johnson, who is out with a hamstring injury.
The new-look Browns offense remains a work in progress and gets a second straight testing examination having achieved a pass grade against the Bengals without looking as sharp as they would have wanted. They also have a WR injury issues with Amari Cooper questionable due to a groin injury. With 2 impressive defensive lines taking the field in this contest and Myles Garrett and TJ Watt hunting quarterbacks, the under looks a solid leg for our SGP.
Read our Panthers vs Saints SGP for Monday night
Looking for a way to secure some bonus bets? Click this link to sign up for PointsBet, where you can get up to $1,000 worth of second-chance bets!
Nick Chubb to score a touchdown (+110)
You would think that the analytics-friendly front office of the Browns would be one of the last to still be handing a solid paycheck to a running back, but they know there are exceptions to every rule and Nick Chubb still provides the Browns with excellent value in return for his salary. Any thoughts that he would no longer be a key player for the Browns this season as they open up the playbook to feature more Deshaun Watson passes were put to one side when Chubb was again a key man for the Browns offense in the big win over the Bengals in Week 1.
Chubb did not reach the end zone in that game, but he did have 18 carries for 106 yards and will always be an attractive TD scorer when he’s available at plus-money. The Steelers are never easy to run against, but Christian McCaffrey had 152 rushing yards and a score against them last week.
Don’t miss our Browns-Steelers touchdown scorer best bets
You can bet this NFL SGP over at Caesars, which has a great sign-up offer where you can secure $250 in bonus bets from a first wager of $50 or more! Click here to sign up for Caesars right now.
