Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cleveland Browns Inactive and Injury Reports for Thursday Night Football
By Chris Amberley in NFL Football
Published:
- The final Steelers vs Browns injury report for the Week 3 TNF game is available
- Browns stud defensive end Jadeveon Clowney is out with an ankle injury
- Cleveland’s other star pass rusher Myles Garrett is expected to play despite being limited all week with a neck issue
Week 3 on the NFL calendar kicks off tonight on Thursday Night Football with an AFC North slugfest. The Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Cleveland to face a Browns team fresh off a humiliating loss, and that’s dealing with major injury concerns.
Both of their elite defensive ends Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney are front and center in the Steelers vs Browns injury report. Garrett is expected to be on the field despite battling a neck issue all week, but the same cannot be said for Clowney who’s already been ruled out.
As for Pittsburgh, they lost TJ Watt to injured reserve following their Week 1 victory, but have appeared to avoid any other absences heading into Cleveland.
See below for the latest injury news ahead of tonight’s contest, and how it could impact the betting lines in a game where the Browns are 4-point favorites.
ESPN BET SPORTSBOOKUSE CODE "DIME" & GET A $1,000 BET RESET!
FANATICS SPORTSBOOKBET & GET UP TO $1,000 IN BONUS BETS!
BET365 SPORTSBOOKBET $5 & GET $200 IN BONUS BETS!
DRAFTKINGS SPORTSBOOKBET $5 & GET $200 IN BONUS BETS INSTANTLY!
FANDUEL SPORTSBOOKBET $5 & GET $300 IF YOUR BET WINS!
BETMGM SPORTSBOOKGET UP TO $1,500 BACK IN BONUS BETS + 2ND CHANCE TD CASH BACK!
CAESARS SPORTSBOOKGET UP TO $1,000 BACK - ON CAESARS!
Must be 21+. GAMBLING PROBLEM? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (CO, IL, KS, KY, MD, MI, NC, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV, WY); (800) 327-5050 or gamblinghelplinema.org (MA); (877) 8-HOPENY (NY); 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ); (888) 789-7777 (CT); 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA); 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN); mdgamblinghelp.org (MD); morethanagame.nc.gov (NC); 1800gambler.net (WV)
Pittsburgh Steelers Injury Report
Aside from Watt, Cameron Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Devin Bush are three of the most important parts of the Steelers’ defense. The latter two players both showed up on the injury report this week, but there’s no reason for concern.
Fitzpatrick, who’s dealing with leg cramps, got in only limited work this week at practice but will be patrolling the middle of the field against the Browns. He’s the NFL’s top-graded safety so far per Pro Football Focus, and has been a nightmare for opposing QBs to deal with since joining Pittsburgh in 2019.
Three years ago today, the Steelers acquired S Minkah Fitzpatrick in a trade with the Dolphins.
During that time, Minkah has:
🟡 12 INTs
⚫️ 15 PBUs
🟡 3 FFs
⚫️ 4 FRs
🟡 4 TDs
⚫️ 58.7 passer rating allowed pic.twitter.com/1lJ7aMnULt— PFF PIT Steelers (@PFF_Steelers) September 16, 2022
Bush meanwhile, got in a full practice on Tuesday despite a lingering foot injury. He’s racked up nine tackles, including one for a loss through two games, and along with Fitzpatrick will need to play a prominent role in Pittsburgh’s upset bid in the Steelers vs Browns picks.
Cleveland Browns Injury Report
Clowney was off to a fantastic start to the season before succumbing to an ankle injury. He’s the ninth-highest graded edge rusher per PFF, racking up 1.5 sacks, six pressures, two batted passes, and a forced fumble and recovery.
The #Steelers should have a competitive advantage vs Browns tomorrow. Here are the injuries Cleveland currently has:
– Jadeveon Clowney OUT (ankle)
– 10 players currently on IR
– OL Joel Bitonio (biceps), Jack Conklin (knee) dealing with injuries— Tommy Jaggi (@TommyJaggi) September 21, 2022
He’s also a key cog in the Browns’ run defense, a unit that was already struggling. Cleveland ranks 20th against the run per DVOA, and the loss of Clowney should increase the efficiency and ceiling of the Steelers’ ground attack.
On the other side of the ball, the Browns are also dealing with injuries to a pair of starting linemen. Both right tackle Jack Conklin (knee) and left guard Joel Bitonio (biceps) got in only limited work at practice this week. Cleveland’s offensive line ranks 13th in both pass and run blocking per PFF, and any limitations to those two starters spells trouble for any Browns players in your Steelers vs Browns props.
Pittsburgh is still able to rush the passer even without Watt. The Steelers rank eight on defense per DVOA and are tied for the fourth most sacks with seven.
How Could Injuries Affect Steelers vs Browns Betting Lines?
Money has come pouring in on Pittsburgh in the Steelers vs Browns public betting splits, and injuries are a big reason why. The Browns are banged up on the offensive and defensive line, and given the lack of quality QB play on both sides, that is going to be a big hurdle to overcome.
Pittsburgh has a large track record of dominating the Browns in Cleveland, and their advantage in the trenches on TNF could help that continue. The Steelers are 8-1-1 straight up in their past 10 visits to the Dawg Pound, and have covered as a road underdog on 15 of 23 occasions since 2017. Don’t be surprised if the spread moves even closer to Pittsburgh by kickoff.
Get Your First Bet Back - Up To $1,000 On Caesars!
Sports Writer
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
