For the first time since the 2002 season, the Cleveland Browns are in the playoffs. They are not only in the playoffs, but they will be featured in primetime Sunday night, as the Browns take on the Pittsburgh Steelers tonight at 8:15 p.m. EST on NBC.

In true Browns fashion, Cleveland will be shorthanded for the game, as first-year Kevin Stefanski and Pro Bowl offensive linemen Joel Bitonio are among those who are unable to participate in the game due to testing positive for COVID-19 earlier in the week.

Despite these setbacks, the Browns know their arch-rival inside and out. It helps the Cleveland fateful that Pittsburgh doesn't have a lot of momentum heading into the playoffs, as the Steelers have lost four of their last five games.

This has all the makings to be the most exciting game of NFL weekend, and with that brings thousands of sports bettors hoping to get in on the action.

NFL Odds-Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers -5 (-114)

Browns +5 (-106)

Over 47.5 points scored in game (-109)

Under 47.5 (-111)

(Odds via betonline.ag as of 11:30 a.m. EST on Sunday, Jan. 10)

Why the Steelers can cover

Historically, betting against the Browns, who haven't won a playoff game since 1994, is profitable more often than not due to Cleveland a laughingstock of the NFL more than not.

It doesn't help the Browns that they are facing a quarterback with a lot of playoff experience in Ben Roethlisberger, who only has three fewer playoff wins (13) than the Browns have had since their franchise's inception in 1944 (16).

Roethlisberger has battled nagging injuries this season, but got the week off in Week 17 to rest up for this big game.

There's a good chance that Big Ben hasn't been hit a lot this season, as he was only sacked 14 times this season, the lowest total among quarterbacks starting at least 16 games this season.

Giving Roethlisberger time in the pocket will give him time to pick apart the Cleveland defense who has weak spots in the secondary.

As good as the Browns' front seven has been, the Browns give up 247.6 passing yards a game, the 11th highest mark in the league.

Also, it can't be understated that the Browns will be without Stefanski, who has been calling plays and is in Baker Mayfield's ear all game long.

Coaches with little playoff experience typically don't fare well in the postseason, and it doesn't help the Browns that special teams coordinator Mike Priefer is appearing in his first game as an NFL coach and is going up against Mike Tomlin, who has 8 postseason wins and a Super Bowl victory on his resume.

Why the Browns can cover

Despite all these setbacks for the Browns, Steelers wide receiver and avid Tik Toker JuJu Smith-Schuster gave the Browns bulletin board material this week, implying to Tom Withers of the Associated Press that the Browns will get in their own way in this playoff game,

Quotes like that can inspire a Browns defense that won't have to worry too much about the Steelers running game, who rank dead last in rushing yards per game (84.6) and yards per carry (3.6).

This inability to get a first down in the running game could hurt the Steelers late in the game, as they try to ice the game and run out the clock on the ground, giving the Browns a better chance at a backdoor cover.

On the other hand, the Browns have one of the most talented running games in the NFL, averaging 148.4 rushing yards per game (third-best in the league).

If the two-headed backfield of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt can gain first downs, chew up clock, and control the pace of this game, Steelers fans would certainly start to sweat.

It also helps the Browns that, even though Roethlisberger is definitely a future Hall-of-Famer, he has shown major signs of regression this season and doesn't help the Steelers to many big plays (6.3 yards per pass attempt, the third-worst mark in the league).

If the Steelers can't generate big plays when they need to, Cleveland could leave Heinz field with an outright victory.

Final Pick and Score Prediction

Every single one of the Action Network's experts is picking the Steelers to cover the spread, and 58% of the public agrees with them.

There's a simple reason why sportsbooks make so much money and why casinos generate money at an exponential rate: the public is usually wrong.

I'm not going to pick the Browns to win outright, as playoff experience should help the Steelers immensely with them going up against a head coach who has never been a head coach and a quarterback who has never played in a playoff game.

However, with the lack of a run game for the Steelers and the regression of Big Ben, I don't think they'll be able to ice this game and control the clock at the end, giving the Browns the opportunity to come back late.

I think the Browns do score late, with Mayfield leading a late drive to cover the spread, but all signs point the Browns' playoff victory drought extending another year.

Final Score: Steelers 31, Browns 27