Steelers at Browns 9/9/18 - NFL Picks & Predictions

AFC North Division rivals will square off on Sunday, when the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns open up their season from FirstEnergy Stadium. The Steelers won 13 games last year, but ended on a sour note with a 45-42 loss versus Jacksonville in the divisional round of the playoffs. Veteran QB Ben Roethlisberger leads an offense that finished third in yards and eighth in points last season. JuJu Smith-Schuster had a breakout rookie campaign and compliments All-Pro WR Antonio Brown.

Middle linebacker Ryan Shazier was lost to a spinal injury in week 12 of last season and has already been ruled out for this year. Pittsburgh must improve on a secondary that allowed has been torched for big plays.

The Cleveland Browns failed to win a game last season, but that has not stopped the ever-increasing buzz that surrounds this team. The Browns drafted Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield with the number one overall pick and brought in former Buffalo QB Tyrod Taylor to start until the rookie is ready. WR Jarvis Landry was acquired in a trade with Miami and has caught more passes in his first four season than any other player in NFL history.

While the Browns are improved on offense, the defense could be a unit that imposes its will on opponents. Former number one overall pick Myles Garrett is a double-digit sack machine in the making and rookie CB Denzel Ward was selected fourth overall to be a shutdown corner.