Browns vs Pittsburgh
By STEVE KING
Are you betting the house on the Pittsburgh Steelers in their opening-round AFC playoff game on Sunday night at Heinz Field?
You might as well, Nearly everybody else is.
And that’s understandable.
But I caution you doing so, because their opponents, the Browns, are playing with house money.
Yes, the Steelers have the better record, 12-4 to 11-5.
Yes, if the truth be told, they also have the better team, at least for this year, but the gap has closed considerably this season.
Yes, they have a much better history in the last two decades.
Yes, they are playing at home, where they are especially tough to beat, particularly the Browns, who have not won at Heinz Field since 2003.
Yes, they have a lot of postseason experience, whereas the Browns have none.
And yes, in case you’re been living on the moon and have not heard, there’s this little issue about the Browns and all the players — and coaches, including the head coach — they’ve lost to COVID-19, forcing them to miss the game.
So, yes, everything — almost everything, anyway — favors the Steelers, and favors betting on them to win.
But again, before you do, take a good, long look at the Browns, not necessarily for what they aren’t, because we’ve already detailed that, but rather for what they are.
The Browns are tough.
And gritty.
And fearless.
And determined.
And principled.
And relentless.
And persevering.
And well-coached.
And talented, especially on offense.
And — this may be the most important thing — they know full well that no one outside of their locker room believes they have any chance at all to win. So if they get blown out, it will be, “Well, the odds were stacked against the Browns. It’s no surprise.”
But if they somehow, some way, pull off the upset and stun the world, it will be one of the greatest victories in Browns history.
Sunday night vibes. Time to shock the world @5mackwilson1 @EricMetcalf21 @FelixWright22 @EByner @BernieKosarQB pic.twitter.com/xDGcr6fI6C
— Bring Brownie back (@Cleveland_elf) January 7, 2021
And they are laser-focused on making that happen.
So beware.
Be very, very beware.
Your house is a big possession to lose.
Just sayin’.
Note: Browns vs Pittsburgh Sunday 8:15 Kickoff
