Steelers at Browns
THE STORY: The Pittsburgh Steelers have already locked up a playoff berth but go into the final week of the regular season with a chance to finish anywhere from first to fifth in the AFC. The Steelers are weighing how much that playoff seeding means to them as they decide whether to let injured players like Ben Roethlisberger and LaMarr Woodley suit up on Sunday at the Cleveland Browns. Even if the Steelers win the game, they still could be looking at the No. 5 seed due to the Baltimore Ravens holding the tiebreaker in the NFC North. Roethlisberger, who missed last week’s win over the St. Louis Rams with a high ankle sprain, has practiced this week and could play Sunday. The Cleveland Browns are almost certain not to have their starting quarterback. Colt McCoy has still not been cleared to practice due to a concussion suffered in a Week 14 loss to Pittsburgh. Steelers linebacker James Harrison, who delivered the hit that knocked McCoy out, will be the target of plenty of jeers from the Cleveland faithful.
TV: CBS, 4:15 p.m. ET. LINE: Steelers -7, O/U 37.
ABOUT THE STEELERS (11-4): If Roethlisberger cannot make the start, Charlie Batch will take the snaps looking for another performance like the 208 yards he threw up last weekend. Either way, the Steelers will try to take advantage of the Browns’ suspect run defense with a healthy dose of Rashard Mendenhall, who rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown last week. Pittsburgh will clinch the No. 1 seed with a win and losses by Baltimore and New England.
ABOUT THE BROWNS (4-11): Cleveland is in that NFL nether-region, where it is not nearly good enough to earn a playoff spot but not quite bad enough to challenge for the No. 1 overall draft pick. Wherever they end up inside the top 10 in the draft, the Browns will likely consider a quarterback after McCoy posted a 74.6 rating in his 13 games. Cleveland has dropped five games in a row, including the 14-3 setback at Pittsburgh.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. Pittsburgh has dominated the series recently, winning 20 of the last 22 meetings.
2. Roethlisberger needs 144 yards to reach 4,000 for the second time in his career.
3. Browns rookie receiver Greg Little needs six catches to pass Kevin Johnson (66) for the team rookie record.