NFL Game Preview: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns - Week 17

Fantasy Football Today - fantasy football rankings, cheatsheets, and information

A Fantasy Football Community!

Create An Account | Advertise | Contact

Free Newsletter!

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns - Week 17

Game Preview Fantasy \| Game Notes \| Results & Schedule \| Injury Report \| Stat Comparisons \| Weather \| Team vs. Team History

WAS PHI	10 34
Pre	Post

TEN HOU	23 22
Pre	Post

SF STL	34 27
Pre	Post

NYJ MIA	17 19
Pre	Post

IND JAC	13 19
Pre	Post

DET GB	41 45
Pre	Post

BUF NE	21 49
Pre	Post

CHI MIN	17 13
Pre	Post

CAR NO	17 45
Pre	Post

BAL CIN	24 16
Pre	Post

TB ATL	24 45
Pre	Post

SEA ARI	20 23
Pre	Post

SD OAK	38 26
Pre	Post

PIT CLE	13 9
Pre	Post

KC DEN	7 3
Pre	Post

DAL NYG	14 31
Pre	Post

Week:	1 \| 2 \| 3 \| 4 \| 5 \| 6 \| 7 \| 8 \| 9 \| 10 \| 11 \| 12 \| 13 \| 14 \| 15 \| 16 \| 17
Playoffs:	Wild-Card \| Divisional Playoffs \| Conference Championships \| Super Bowl

Final Score Prediction

Steelers 24, Browns 13

Fantasy Player Rankings and Projections by Mike Krueger

Pittsburgh Steelers
Rank	Player	Projections
QB 16	Ben Roethlisberger	Pass: 220, 2 TD Rush: 0, 0
QB 33	Charlie Batch	Pass: 60, 0 TD Rush: 0, 0
RB 11	Rashard Mendenhall	Rush: 90, 1 TD Rec: 1-10, 0
RB 46	Isaac Redman	Rush: 20, 0 TD Rec: 3-20, 0
WR 10	Mike Wallace	Rec: 6-90, 1 TD
WR 32	Antonio Brown	Rec: 5-60, 1 TD
WR 73	Hines Ward	Rec: 2-30, 0 TD
TE 29	Heath Miller	Rec: 3-30, 0 TD
K 24	Shaun Suisham	FG: 1/1 XP: 3/3
DEF 1	Defense / ST

View all Week 17 Rankings or Projections

Cleveland Browns
Rank	Player	Projections
QB 32	Seneca Wallace	Pass: 180, 0 TD Rush: 10, 0
RB 9	Peyton Hillis	Rush: 80, 1 TD Rec: 3-30, 0
RB 57	Chris Ogbonnaya	Rush: 20, 0 TD Rec: 1-10, 0
WR 51	Greg Little	Rec: 4-50, 0 TD
WR 65	Mohamed Massaquoi	Rec: 2-30, 0 TD
TE 18	Evan Moore	Rec: 3-40, 0 TD
K 27	Phil Dawson	FG: 2/2 XP: 1/1
DEF 27	Defense / ST

Game Notes

Steelers Club is 10-2 (.833) at Cleveland since 1999... QB Ben Roethlisberger (3,856) needs 144 passing yards to reach 4,000 for 2nd time in career (4,328 in '09). Aims for 80th career regular season win (79-34, .699). Has 13-1 record vs. Cle. QB Charlie Batch is 5-2 as starter with Steelers. Batch is 1-0 as starter vs. Browns (11/13/05)... Last week, RB Rashard Mendenhall (29) surpassed HOFer FRANCO HARRIS (28) for most rushing TDs in 1st 4 seasons of career in franchise history... WR Mike Wallace (1,182) needs 18 receiving yards to reach 1,200 for 2nd consecutive season. In past 3 vs. Browns, Wallace is averaging 25.2 yards per catch (10 rec., 252 yards). WR Hines Ward (995) needs 5 catches to become 8th player in NFL history with 1,000 receptions... WR Antonio Brown (1,018) recorded 1,000+ receiving yards for 1st time in career... Defense allows NFL-low in yards per game (273.9) & passing yards per game (172.2)... LB LaMarr Woodley has 3.5 sacks in past 3 vs. Cle... S Troy Polamalu has 6 career INTs vs. Browns, most vs. any opponent.

Browns QB Colt McCoy (2,733) needs 267 passing yards to become 1st Browns QB since '07 to reach 3,000 yards in season (DEREK ANDERSON, 3,787). In 6 starts with Browns (since 2010), QB Seneca Wallace has completed 100 of 164 passes (61 pct.) for 1,066 yards with 6 TDs vs. 3 INTs & 84.6 passer rating... RB Peyton Hillis is averaging 105.5 rush yards per game in past 2 (211 total)... Rookie WR Greg Little (2nd round, No. 59) has 61 catches & needs 6 more to surpass KEVIN JOHNSON (66 in 1999) for Browns' rookie reception record... TE Evan Moore has career-best 4 TD receptions in 2011, tied for team-high (Josh Cribbs)... Rookie DL Jabaal Sheard is tied for 3rd among NFL rookies with 7.5 sacks... S Mike Adams had INT in last game against Steelers... LB D'QWELL JACKSON leads team with 145 tackles.

Results and Schedule

Pittsburgh Steelers
Week	Date	Opp	H/A	Score	Dif
1	2011-09-11	BAL	A	L 7-35	-28
2	2011-09-18	SEA	H	W 24-0	+24
3	2011-09-25	IND	A	W 23-20	+3
4	2011-10-02	HOU	A	L 10-17	-7
5	2011-10-09	TEN	H	W 38-17	+21
6	2011-10-16	JAC	H	W 17-13	+4
7	2011-10-23	ARI	A	W 32-20	+12
8	2011-10-30	NE	H	W 25-17	+8
9	2011-11-06	BAL	H	L 20-23	-3
10	2011-11-13	CIN	A	W 24-17	+7
11		Bye
12	2011-11-27	KC	A	W 13-9	+4
13	2011-12-04	CIN	H	W 35-7	+28
14	2011-12-08	CLE	H	W 14-3	+11
15	2011-12-19	SF	A	L 3-20	-17
16	2011-12-24	STL	H	W 27-0	+27
17	2012-01-01	CLE	A	W 13-9	+4
WC	2012-01-08	DEN	A

Cleveland Browns
Week	Date	Opp	H/A	Score	Dif
1	2011-09-11	CIN	H	L 17-27	-10
2	2011-09-18	IND	A	W 27-19	+8
3	2011-09-25	MIA	H	W 17-16	+1
4	2011-10-02	TEN	H	L 13-31	-18
5		Bye
6	2011-10-16	OAK	A	L 17-24	-7
7	2011-10-23	SEA	H	W 6-3	+3
8	2011-10-30	SF	A	L 10-20	-10
9	2011-11-06	HOU	A	L 12-30	-18
10	2011-11-13	STL	H	L 12-13	-1
11	2011-11-20	JAC	H	W 14-10	+4
12	2011-11-27	CIN	A	L 20-23	-3
13	2011-12-04	BAL	H	L 10-24	-14
14	2011-12-08	PIT	A	L 3-14	-11
15	2011-12-18	ARI	A	L 17-20	-3
16	2011-12-24	BAL	A	L 14-20	-6
17	2012-01-01	PIT	H	L 9-13	-4

Injury Report

Pittsburgh Steelers
Out	OG Doug Legursky (Shoulder) RB Mewelde Moore (Knee)
Doubtful	OLB LaMarr Woodley (Hamstring)
Questionable	OLB Chris Carter (Hamstring)
Probable	OLB James Harrison (Neck) SS Troy Polamalu (Knee) OC Maurkice Pouncey (Ankle) QB Ben Roethlisberger (Ankle) WR Emmanuel Sanders (Foot) WR Mike Wallace (Ankle)
IR	RB Baron Batch (Knee) CB Curtis Brown (Knee) OT Willie Colon (Triceps) RB Jonathan Dwyer (Foot) NT Chris Hoke (Neck) QB Byron Leftwich (Broken Arm) DE Aaron Smith (Foot)

Cleveland Browns
Out	QB Colt McCoy (Head) WR Jordan Norwood (Head) OT Tony Pashos (Ankle)
Questionable	OLB Kaluka Maiava (Hand)
Probable	WR Josh Cribbs (Groin) RB Peyton Hillis (Elbow) OG Shawn Lauvao (Ankle) FB Owen Marecic (Ankle) WR Mohamed Massaquoi (Foot) CB Dimitri Patterson (Hand) OLB Quinton Spears (Head)
IR	MLB Titus Brown (Knee) OLB Scott Fujita (Hand) RB Brandon Jackson (Toe) TE Alex Smith (Shoulder) OG Eric Steinbach (Back) SS T.J. Ward (Foot) TE Ben Watson (Concussion)
Non-Football Related	DE Marcus Benard (Hand)

Offense Stats Comparison

	PIT Offense	CLE Offense	NFL Avg.	Adv.
Points for	18.0	13.8	22.1	PIT
Rushing yards	130.3	117.3	118.8	PIT
Rushing yards per attempt	4.74	4.25	4.25	PIT
Completion %	64.3%	55.2%	59.7%	PIT
Passing yards	219.7	176.5	224.3	PIT
Passing yards per completion	12.21	9.89	11.31	PIT
Passing yards per attempt	7.85	5.45	6.75	PIT
Interceptions	1.0	1.0	1.0	-
Fumbles lost	0.7	0.0	0.6	CLE
Sacks allowed	2.0	2.3	2.4	PIT
3rd down conversions	32.0%	36.6%	36.9%	CLE
4th down conversions	50.0%	25.0%	42.0%	PIT
Time of possession	31:12	29:05	30:13	PIT

Defense Stats Comparison

	PIT Defense	CLE Defense	NFL Avg.	Adv.
Points against	6.3	19.3	22.1	PIT
Rushing yards	100.7	137.3	118.8	PIT
Rushing yards per attempt	3.66	4.45	4.25	PIT
Completion %	52.3%	57.4%	59.7%	PIT
Passing yards	159.0	219.8	224.3	PIT
Passing yards per completion	9.63	11.94	11.31	PIT
Passing yards per attempt	5.04	6.86	6.75	PIT
INT return	1.0	0.5	1.0	PIT
Fumble recoveries	0.3	0.5	0.6	CLE
Sacks	2.3	1.5	2.4	PIT
3rd down conversions	35.2%	43.8%	36.9%	PIT
4th down conversions	60.0%	25.0%	42.0%	CLE
Time of possession	28:48	31:56	30:13	PIT

Special Teams Stats Comparison

	PIT	CLE	NFL Avg.	Adv.
Yards per punt return	10.0	15.0	9.9	CLE
Yards per kick return	21.7	23.9	23.9	CLE
Yards allowed per punt return	10.4	11.1	9.9	PIT
Yards allowed per kick return	22.0	20.9	23.9	CLE

Misc Stats Comparison

	PIT	CLE	NFL Avg.	Adv.
Penalties	7.3	6.0	6.3	CLE
Penalty yards	57.3	58.8	53.0	PIT

Note: Team statistics are shown as the average per game through Weeks 11 to 16 of the 2011 season after deducting the best and worst value from the data set. The exception is yards per rush attempt, completion %, yards per pass completion, yards per pass attempt, 3rd and 4th down conversions, special teams and the NFL averages, which are each calculated based on totals through Weeks 11 to 16 with no adjustment.

Weather

Team vs. Team History

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns
Season	Week	Date	Vis	Home	Score	Winner
2000	3	2000-09-17	PIT	CLE	20-23	CLE
2000	8	2000-10-22	CLE	PIT	0-22	PIT
2001	9	2001-11-11	PIT	CLE	15-12	PIT
2001	17	2002-01-06	CLE	PIT	7-28	PIT
2002	4	2002-09-29	CLE	PIT	13-16	PIT
2002	9	2002-11-03	PIT	CLE	23-20	PIT
2003	5	2003-10-05	CLE	PIT	33-13	CLE
2003	12	2003-11-23	PIT	CLE	13-6	PIT
2004	5	2004-10-10	CLE	PIT	23-34	PIT
2004	10	2004-11-14	PIT	CLE	24-10	PIT
2005	10	2005-11-13	CLE	PIT	21-34	PIT
2005	16	2005-12-24	PIT	CLE	41-0	PIT
2006	11	2006-11-19	PIT	CLE	24-20	PIT
2006	14	2006-12-07	CLE	PIT	7-27	PIT
2007	1	2007-09-09	PIT	CLE	34-7	PIT
2007	10	2007-11-11	CLE	PIT	28-31	PIT
2008	2	2008-09-14	PIT	CLE	10-6	PIT
2008	17	2008-12-28	CLE	PIT	0-31	PIT
2009	6	2009-10-18	CLE	PIT	14-27	PIT
2009	14	2009-12-10	PIT	CLE	6-13	CLE
2010	6	2010-10-17	CLE	PIT	10-28	PIT
2010	17	2011-01-02	PIT	CLE	41-9	PIT
2011	14	2011-12-08	CLE	PIT	3-14	PIT

Note: Only playoff games from the 2004 to 2010 seasons are included in the team vs. team history. Playoff games from seasons prior to 2004 are not currently included in the database.