Final score predictions for Steelers Week 6 matchup vs. Browns

The Pittsburgh Steelers search for their fifth straight win to open the season against the Cleveland Browns. Here is my final score prediction for the game.

To be honest, the first four games of the season weren’t all that hard to predict for the Steelers. Though there were a few that could have gone either way, Pittsburgh was clearly the better team in each matchup and it showed when their opponents so far had a combined record of 3-15-1 on the season.

However, this week has put me in a major dilemma. I would love nothing more than for the Steelers to win their fifth-straight game to open the season and practically solidly their playoff berth already. Unfortunately, this matchup has pulled me in a few different directions.

Steelers vs. Browns prediction

The Steelers offense finally came alive in their Week 5 win over the Philadelphia Eagles – thanks in large part to rookie receiver, Chase Claypool. While Claypool shows every sign of potentially being a future star, Ben Roethlisberger still was reluctant to let the ball fly on most plays, and Claypool did much of his damage after the catch.

I recently wrote an article on why Roethlisberger needs to take deep shots against the Browns this week. Cleveland will be without safeties Ronnie Harrison and Karl Joseph, and the Browns defense will be very vulnerable over the deep middle – assuming Pittsburgh can keep Myles Garrett off Ben’s back.

While Cleveland’s defense is certainly penetrable, I don’t love how the Steelers matchup against this current Browns team.

Yes, it helps that offensive guard, Wyatt Teller, will not be suiting up for Cleveland in this contest, but the Browns are currently the best team in the league at running the wide zone. This could get the Steelers into a lot of trouble. The wide zone running game will get Pittsburgh’s defense all flowing to one direction, but with an aggressive unit like the one Keith Butler has, this team is going to overpursue at times.

As a result, I think Baker Mayfield will be able to really exploit Pittsburgh’s already questionable secondary with the play-action. I can see the Steelers giving up some huge plays down the field.

Though Cleveland will be without Nick Chubb for the remainder of the year, you couldn’t ask for a better backup running back than Kareem Hunt, and this group certainly has the ability to put up the best rushing performance against the Steelers so far this year.

I hate to do this, but this is the first game I really don’t feel confident that Mike Tomlin and his team will come away with the win. It makes me sick to say that I have the Browns coming away with a close win in Week 6:

Score prediction: Browns 27-23

Obviously, I hope I am wrong in my prediction this week. This has been the best start to a Steelers season I have seen in my lifetime, and I would love for it to continue. Let’s hope Pittsburgh can keep their win streak going in Week 6.