Dawg Pound Daily staff picks: Week 17
The final weekend of the NFL season is here and the Dawg Pound Daily staff closes out the year with the predictions for Week 17 of the season.
With the final week of the 2015 regular season upon us, the Dawg Pound Daily staff wraps up the regular season with their final picks of the campaign!
Last week saw many upsets across the league as teams laid it all on the line in the final weeks and make their cases for a playoff berth.
Some of the most notable upsets were as follows:
The New York Jets upset the New England Patriots in the Meadowlands, helping their hopes for a playoff berth; the Baltimore Ravens upset the Pittsburgh Steelers in Baltimore, hindering Pittsburgh’s playoff hopes; and the St. Louis Rams went up to Seattle and upset the surging Seahawks in one of the toughest places to play in the NFL.
Plenty of storylines as week 17 is upon us and the staff has their game by game predictions along with our bold prediction for the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns game down at FirstEnergy Stadium!
So without further ado, on to the picks!
[table id=27 /]
team. 55. The Steelers need to win to have a shot at the playoffs, so they’re coming out guns blazing. Their defense isn’t good so hopefully the Browns can get going offensively, but they are really beaten up at wide receiver and Johnny Manziel had a poor game against Kansas City. This is probably going to be pretty ugly. <strong>Steelers 38, Browns 14</strong>. (101-56). Previous: 1st. Murray Alexander. 1
55. I almost chose Cleveland here. Then I came to my senses. Johnny Manziel isn’t doing anything to solidify his job next season. He’s not bad, he’s just not good. Pittsburgh in a blow out in front of a stadium full of Pittsburgh fans. <strong>Steelers 30, Browns 13</strong>. (96-61). Previous: 3rd. Brandon Lambert. t-2. team
team. 55. Austin Davis gets the start at quarterback, making it the fourth consecutive year, and fifth in the past six, the Browns will trot out a player who was their third-string quarterback for the season finale. Head coach Mike Pettine<strong> </strong>may also be making his final appearance as the Browns coach. If so, Pettine will join Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, Pat Shurmur and Rob Chudzinski as coaches who were asked to leave after facing the Steelers in the season finale. <strong>Steelers 72, Browns 0</strong>. (96-61). Previous: 2nd. Thomas Moore. t-2
53. This is strictly a ‘why not’ pick. Johnny Manziel has continued to improve over the past few weeks, and he will end the season on a positive note with a victory at home. It may not be enough to save the jobs of Ray Farmer and Mike Pettine, but it sure would be a fun way to end a rather dismal season. <strong>Browns 30, Steelers 24</strong>. (90-67). Previous: 4th. Steven Kubitza. 4. team
55. If the rumors are true about Mike Pettine surviving, if Johnny Manziel doesn’t hit the pines for his latest social media flap, and if the Browns aren’t mass arrested on New Year’s Eve, then I suspect some Manziel-magic early this game. But Big Ben sees orange and brown like bulls see red – let alone looking at a secondary of Charles Gaines, Johnson Bademosi and a disinterested headed-out-of town Tashaun Gipson. A Cleveland stadium crowd filled by Steelers Nation heads home happy back on the turnpike. <strong>Steelers 23, Browns 16</strong>. (89-68). Previous: 6th. Roger Cohen. 5. team
(87-70). Previous: t-7th. Giovanni Castelli. t-6. team. 55. For the fourth straight season the Browns will end the season with their third-string quarterback making the start. Austin Davis gets the nod in 2015 as Johnny Manziel entered the NFL’s Bermuda triangle (aka concussion protocol) on Wednesday. So, with that being said, for the fourth straight year I expect a similar result, a Browns loss. <strong>Steelers 41, Browns 20</strong>
55. Pittsburgh needs a win against Cleveland on <span class=. (87-70). Previous: 5th. Matthew Stevenson. t-6. team
(86-71). Previous: t-7th. Eric Szczepinski. 8. team. 53. Nothing would be sweeter than playing spoiler and knocking your rival out of the postseason. <strong>Browns 27, Steelers 24</strong>