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    Browns vs. Steelers injury report, odds: Spread rising as Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski, Joel Bitonio, KhaDarel Hodge positive for COVID-19

    The Cleveland Browns will not have head coach Kevin Stefanski and reportedly at least one Pro Bowl player, left guard Joel Bitonio, for Sunday's Wild-Card game at Pittsburgh due to a positive COVID-19 test.
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    Kevin Stefanski could win NFL Coach of the Year for leading the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs for the first time since 2002 in his first season in the job, but Stefanski, tight ends coach Drew Petzing, defensive backs coach Jeff Howard and two players – reportedly Pro Bowl left guard Joel Bitonio and reserve wideout KhaDarel Hodge  – have tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss Sunday night's Wild-Card Game in Pittsburgh. The team facility has been closed. William Hill Sportsbook already has made adjustments on the NFL odds.

    "As of now, the spread has moved 1.5 points (Steelers -4.5 to -6) and total has increased 1 point (46.5 to 47.5) since COVID news. We'll keep the event up and move the number unless additional news forces us to take the event down," a William Hill spokesperson said.

    Special teams coach Mike Priefer is serving as the interim head coach in place of Stefanski and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt will call plays on that side of the ball. The NFL Network reported the two players' names. The 29-year-old Bitonio was named a Pro Bowler for a third straight season and was second-team All-Pro the past two. Hodge has 11 catches for 180 yards in nine games this year, so not a crushing loss there. 

    Both Bitonio and Hodge played in Sunday's win over Pittsburgh, so obviously there could be some contact tracing needed not just among the Browns but on the Steelers -- who currently have starting cornerback Joe Haden and tight end Eric Ebron on the COVID list and thus in question for this game.

    As it was, the Browns had these players on the reserve/COVID-19 list: cornerback Denzel Ward, linebacker B.J. Goodson, safety Andrew Sendejo, linebacker Malcolm Smith, cornerback Kevin Johnson and tight end Harrison Bryant. And these assistants: offensive line coach Bill Callahan, receivers coach Chad O'Shea and assistant offensive line coach Scott Peters. Some of those guys may be cleared to return depending on tests this week. 

    Cleveland, incidentally, has lost 17 straight games in Pittsburgh. 

    More on this as it develops … the NFL has said the game will go on as scheduled. 

    The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up almost $7,900 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception five-plus years ago. It is a sizzling 23-13 on top-rated NFL picks this season, returning well over $800. The model also enters the 2021 NFL Playoffs on an incredible 119-77 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season. 

    SportsLine Staff

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