Thursday Night Football offers an AFC North battle in Week 12 as the 8-2 Pittsburgh Steelers attempt to widen their division lead with a win over the 2-8 Cleveland Browns. Playoff odds will be at stake on TNF, but weather might also be an issue. What will the conditions in Cleveland look like on Thursday night?
Weather Report for Steelers-Browns TNF Matchup
The Steelers won a classic, grimy AFC North game against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11, giving Mike Tomlin’s team control of the division heading into Thursday night’s contest. Adding weather to this sort of tilt only makes sense for tonight’s familiar opponents.
Cleveland is seeing pre-Thanksgiving snow, which will likely be on the ground when TNF kicks off at 7:15 p.m. ET. Rain showers are expected to begin as early as 3 p.m., with that precipitation turning to snow around 5 p.m.
A snow and rain mix will likely continue pouring down throughout Thursday’s game.
THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Are you planning on going to The Browns game tomorrow? You will need to dress SUPER warm! Breezy winds it will feel even colder than these number (low 30s and upper 20s). Plus, we are also expecting a lingering wintry mix. pic.twitter.com/7Fn4vPFLS1
— Katie McGraw (@KatieMcGrawx) November 20, 2024
Game-time temperature should be around 39 degrees and is expected to stay there for the duration of Thursday’s matchup. However, Cleveland’s wind chill will sit at roughly 30 degrees. Wind speeds of around 15 miles per hour are also expected.
Steelers vs. Browns Preview and Prediction
Tomlin had the guts to bench Justin Fields in favor of Russell Wilson heading into Week 7, and the results have been gangbusters. The Steelers have won four straight with Wilson under center and had scored at least 26 points in every game with him at the helm until they were limited to 18 against the Ravens in Week 11.
Wilson has established a connection with deep-ball maven George Pickens, who’s hauled in 22 catches on 33 targets for 365 yards and two touchdowns since the veteran quarterback took over. Among wide receivers with at least 75 routes since Week 7, Pickens ranks sixth in yards per route run (2.87), 12th in receptions per route (17.32%), and 13th in target share (26%).
MORE: Steelers vs. Browns DFS Picks
Wind and precipitation could affect Wilson’s ability to drive the ball downfield on Thursday night. But Cleveland’s defense — which put up historic production under Jim Schwartz in 2023 — ranks in the middle of the pack in pass defense efficiency through 11 weeks.
Meanwhile, while Jameis Winston has breathed new life into the Browns’ offense, he’s still making plenty of mistakes. Winston threw three interceptions against the Los Angeles Chargesr in Week 9. His turnover-worthy play rate (4.5%, per PFF) is tied for fifth-worst among all NFL quarterbacks.
The Steelers rank seventh in defensive passing success rate and interception rate. They’re sixth in havoc rate, which measures how often a defense makes game-changing plays like interceptions, sacks, fumbles, and tackles for loss.
Can Cleveland lean on Nick Chubb? Probably not. The Browns’ offensive line is dealing with continuous injuries, while Pittsburgh ranks second in EPA per rush.
PFN Prediction: Steelers 23, Browns 13
Can the Steelers Make the Playoffs?
I know most Browns fans are wondering if their team has a shot. Unfortunately, it is so low that we will just focus in on the Steelers here. After the completion of Week 11 action, the Pittsburgh Steelers are 8-2 and now have a 97.1% chance to make the playoffs.
They have a 9.7% chance for the No. 1 seed, a 30.9% chance for the No. 2 seed, a 25.4% chance for the No. 3 seed, a 3.0% chance for the No. 4 seed, a 15.3% chance for the No. 5 seed, a 9.1% chance for the No. 6 seed, and a 3.7% chance for the No. 7 seed.
Can the Steelers Win the AFC North?
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a 69.0% chance to win the AFC North.
Current AFC North Standings
- Pittsburgh Steelers (8-2)
- Baltimore Ravens (7-4)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-7)
- Cleveland Browns (2-8)
Steelers’ Super Bowl Chances After Week 11
Can the Steelers win the Super Bowl? The PFN Playoff Predictor projects that Pittsburgh has a 3.0% chance to win it all.