Closing spread
PIT -14.5
Total
34.5
Model margin
+3.0est.
PIT perspective
Push chance
None
half-point line — cannot push
Win probability
- Steelers
- Browns
How each play moved the game.
Matchup
Where the edges are
Season-long league percentiles for both sides, mirrored. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge.
- -0.110EPA / play-0.063
- 35.3%Success rate41.6%
- -0.079EPA / dropback-0.073
- -0.177EPA / rush-0.048
- 6.6%Explosive rate6.4%
- 29.7%Third-down rate37.4%
- 74.3%Red-zone TD rate52.5%
- 1.12Points / drive1.27
- 2.6%Turnover rate2.2%
- +0.100EPA / play allowed-0.045
Bar length is league percentile, already oriented so longer is better. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge; rows within ~12 points are washed as even.
The rivalry
PIT lead 43–14–1 since 1999
Meetings average 39 points. PIT are 30-26-2 ATS in the series.
Possession by possession
How it unfolded
Every drive: who had the ball, how far it went, how it ended, and the score as it settled.
| Ball | Start | Plays | Yards | Result | CLE–PIT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLE | Q1 15:00 | 5 | 80 | Touchdown | 7–0 |
| PIT | Q1 12:25 | 9 | 47 | Field goal | 7–3 |
| CLE | Q1 7:34 | 3 | -1 | Punt | 7–3 |
| PIT | Q1 6:21 | 5 | 22 | Punt | 7–3 |
| CLE | Q1 3:29 | 3 | 2 | Punt | 7–3 |
| PIT | Q1 1:49 | 1 | 0 | Turnover | 7–3 |
| CLE | Q1 1:40 | 6 | 10 | Turnover | 7–3 |
| PIT | Q2 14:48 | 9 | 34 | Punt | 7–3 |
| CLE | Q2 10:36 | 3 | 9 | Punt | 7–3 |
| PIT | Q2 8:38 | 3 | -7 | Punt | 7–3 |
| CLE | Q2 7:10 | 7 | 48 | Punt | 7–3 |
| PIT | Q2 3:44 | 9 | 42 | Punt | 7–3 |
| CLE | Q2 1:17 | 3 | 6 | Punt | 7–3 |
| PIT | Q2 0:06 | 1 | 0 | End of half | 7–3 |
| PIT | Q3 15:00 | 9 | 51 | Field goal | 7–6 |
| CLE | Q3 9:57 | 2 | -6 | Turnover | 7–6 |
| PIT | Q3 8:59 | 3 | 8 | Touchdown | 7–12 |
| CLE | Q3 8:18 | 6 | -15 | Punt | 7–12 |
| PIT | Q3 6:07 | 3 | 7 | Punt | 7–12 |
| CLE | Q3 4:37 | 6 | 20 | Punt | 7–12 |
| PIT | Q3 1:00 | 10 | 61 | Field goal | 7–15 |
| CLE | Q4 10:10 | 6 | 29 | Punt | 7–15 |
| PIT | Q4 7:11 | 3 | 6 | Turnover | 7–15 |
| CLE | Q4 6:26 | 3 | 15 | Touchdown | 13–15 |
| PIT | Q4 5:12 | 7 | 27 | Punt | 13–15 |
| CLE | Q4 1:51 | 4 | 38 | Field goal | 16–15 |
Box score
Individual performances
Browns
Passing
| Player | C/Att | Yds | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Couch | 18/28 | 199 | 2 | 1 |
Rushing
| Player | Car | Yds | Avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar | 18 | 56 | 3.1 | 0 |
| Tim Couch | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 0 |
| Terry Kirby | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Rec | Tgt | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Johnson | 5 | 7 | 73 | 1 |
| Darrin Chiaverini | 3 | 5 | 44 | 0 |
| Leslie Shepherd | 2 | 5 | 31 | 0 |
| Mark Campbell | 1 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| Terry Kirby | 2 | 3 | 10 | 0 |
| Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| Irv Smith | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Steelers
Passing
| Player | C/Att | Yds | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kordell Stewart | 15/32 | 137 | 0 | 2 |
Rushing
| Player | Car | Yds | Avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jerome Bettis | 26 | 99 | 3.8 | 0 |
| Kordell Stewart | 6 | 52 | 8.7 | 0 |
| Richard Huntley | 4 | 12 | 3.0 | 1 |
Receiving
| Player | Rec | Tgt | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hines Ward | 4 | 9 | 39 | 0 |
| Troy Edwards | 2 | 6 | 29 | 0 |
| Courtney Hawkins | 3 | 5 | 29 | 0 |
| Mark Bruener | 2 | 4 | 20 | 0 |
| Jerome Bettis | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| Richard Huntley | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| Will Blackwell | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| Bobby Shaw | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Where this game is likely to land
- Model
- Smooth (normal)
- Betting line
Probability of each final margin. Football scoring clusters — the spikes at 3 and 7 are real, and a smooth model misses them.
Positive margins favour Steelers; negative favour Browns.
Half-point at risk
1.11%
outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5
Model home win
57.0%
Expected total
45.9est.
Model
Where the number comes from
Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.
- Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)+0.38
- Home-field advantage+2.56
- Quarterback adjustment0.00
- Rest differential0.00
- Expected margin+2.95



