5 bold predictions for the Steelers in Week 17 vs the Browns

McCloud scores from everywhere

This may be the boldest prediction of them all, but with the extra opportunity he is likely to get, I think Ray-Ray McCloud becomes a threat from all over the field. While his early-season hype has died down and his returns have been less explosive, I think he gets back on track this week. After an early Brown passing score, I think McCloud finally finds the endzone on a kick return.

He doesn’t stop there though, as on the next Steelers offensive drive, he takes a sweep in for a short rushing touchdown. His day doesn’t stop there though, as he takes a late-game screen the distance and scores his third touchdown. While his overall yardage isn’t immense, he proves that he can have a nose for the endzone. Without a doubt, he becomes the primary threat on the offense going forward.

While McCloud’s season will be considered a success even if he doesn’t have a big game like this, scoring as much as he does sets him up for a bigger role in 2021. With the potential departure of JuJu Smith-Schuster, McCloud could see more time as a slot receiver for this team. Given the nature of this game, he should see some considerable snaps this week as a receiver. If he performs well, it could have major implications for his future with this team.

While this game has little bearing on the Steelers season, there are still plenty of bold predictions that could be made about it. The Steelers will have a lot of reserves see the field this week, and some of them could make the most of their opportunity. Keep these bold predictions in mind this week as the Steelers hope to end the Browns playoff push.