The Thursday night game is nearly here and with it comes the start of Week 3 in the NFL. The Pittsburgh Steelers are 1-1 on the season following two close games, a victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 and a Week 2 loss to the New England Patriots.
Pittsburgh will face the 1-1 Cleveland Browns in Week 3's Thursday night game, a game between two teams neither of which made of our Top Ten NFL Power Rankings heading into Week 3. Cleveland looks like the stronger club but let's take a look for a prop bet on a Pittsburgh player.
The Pick: Najee Harris rushes UNDER 52.5
The Pittsburgh Steeler are without a solid rushing game. Their RB1 is Najee Harris and, through two weeks, he has just 72 yards on the ground. His OVER/UNDER total with bet365 is coming in at 52.5 rushing yards in the game. At first glance, that total looks a little high.
One factor helping rushing totals for Pittsburgh is the chance that Myles Garrett might not play on Thursday. He came out of Week 2 with questionable status and he is Cleveland's best defensive player.
However, you have to wonder if rookie Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh's RB2, will get a few more attempts on Thursday. Thus far, he has not really been used much but last week in four rushing attempts he ran for 15 yards. That worked out to a better per-carry average than what Narris accomplished.
The Steelers are in a position where they have to mix things up a little. They had a winnable game in Week 2 and lost to the New England Patriots, a team that no one seems to like that much despite the fact that they have the best coach in the NFL.
Jacoby Brissett Should Control This Game
Jacoby Brissett, Cleveland's QB, is an important player in this game. He has been efficient with his passing offense and the Browns have running back depth. This is a game where the clock control should be with the Browns. That's important to note because if Cleveland controls the clock, then Pittsburgh's time with the ball will decrease. You should expect a decrease in offensive stats for their key players in kind.
Thursday Night Football Prop Betting Tip:
- Najee Harris to rush UNDER 52.5 yards with bet365
