The NFL's first game of October 2026 is trending as potentially one of the lowest-scoring primetime matchups of the season as we could see an old-school AFC North defensive slugfest on Thursday Night Football when the Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1) visit the Cleveland Browns (2-1). The total of 38.5 is the co-lowest of Week 4. Kickoff is set for 8:15 ET on Prime Video.
Is there any question that the two veteran quarterbacks are the big stories and not in the best of ways, though both Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson played well Sunday in upset victories. Look at the AFC North! Every team is 2-1 entering Week 4. Pittsburgh is +750 and Cleveland +1800 to win the division. The SportsLine Projection Model gives the Steelers only a 15.3% shot (down to 6.7% with a loss) and the Browns 4.4% (up to 7.5% with a win). I wouldn't go betting on either team unless Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow suffer season-ending injuries in Week 4. And we don't wish that.
The 42-year-old Rodgers has said this is his final season, and I believe him. Thus, this will be the last TNF game of the four-time MVP's Hall of Fame career. The Steelers still have three primetime games on the slate but they are on Sunday or Monday. Who would have guessed the Rodgers would arguably outplay Burrow this past Sunday? But that's what happened with Rodgers finding the Fountain of Youth in a wild 30-27 home victory. Rodgers and that offense were nowhere to be seen in the first two weeks when Pittsburgh totaled 23 points.
Everyone knows the deal about Watson, and there's no chance he is back in Cleveland next season with that ridiculous fully guaranteed $230 million contract set to expire after this season. Will Watson still have a home in the league? Some teams wouldn't sign him out of principle, but good veteran backup quarterbacks are valuable in the modern-day NFL -- see the Bears, Commanders and Giants winning with them in Week 3.
Watson was booed incessantly for a while in Cleveland's home opener Sunday but heard cheers at the end, leading a 21-18 upset of Carolina. Watson isn't throwing for a lot of yards but now has back-to-back games with two TD passes and no interceptions. Guess we won't be seeing Shedeur Sanders anytime soon short of injury. If you are thinking NFL Comeback Player of the Year for Watson, he's down at +2500. Patrick Mahomes (-270) is the heavy early favorite.
We'll take you through every aspect of the Steelers vs. Browns game that you need to know before you lock in your bets, including SportsLine expert picks, props, trends, DFS, injury information and anything else that will help you know which plays are worth making for the primetime matchup.
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