The Pittsburgh Steelers will be on the road to face the Cleveland Browns for a Week 3 Thursday Night Football matchup, and it's time to make some bold Steelers predictions for this AFC North showdown.

The Steelers are coming off two very close games. In Week 1, Pittsburgh defeated Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals in an overtime thriller, winning on a walk-off field goal. Then, the team was not able to complete the comeback in Week 2 against the New England Patriots, losing 17-14.

Pittsburgh is now preparing to bounce back versus the Browns. The 1-1 record is enough to place the Steelers at the top of the AFC North, but if the team really wants to compete for bigger things, they definitely need to win against a team playing with a backup quarterback in Jacoby Brissett.

With that being said, here are three bold predictions for the Steelers as they face the Browns in Week 3.

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3. Steelers' defense will allow at most 300 total yards from Cleveland's offense

When T.J. Watt went down with an injury in Week 1, many questions surrounding Pittsburgh appeared. Would the Steelers still have a strong defense without the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year?

So far, after just one full game without Watt, the answer seems to be yes for the most part. The Steelers are only allowing 18.5 points per game, the 13th-best mark in the league. The performance against Joe Burrow and the Bengals was especially important.

However, when it mattered most versus New England, Pittsburgh could not contain Mac Jones and company. The Patriots kept their three-point lead and drained the 6:33 remaining in the game clock with strong efforts from the offensive line. Even though the Patriots failed to score in the final quarter, they kept control of the football when needed.

Because of that, there is still some work to do. The game against Cleveland and Jacoby Brissett seems to be the perfect opportunity to a big defensive statement.

Without Deshaun Watson, the Browns are relying on a backup quarterback. Since Brissett has not had much experience as a starter recently, the Steelers can take some advantage. That means more pressure and forced passes. Expect at most 300 total yards produced by Cleveland's offense, and it will most certainly play a role in the game's final result.

2. Najee Harris rushes for 100+yards, at least one touchdown

Najee Harris had a stellar rookie season. He finished 2021 with 1,200 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. He also had 74 catches for 467 yards and three scores. His rookie campaign was capped off with a Pro Bowl selection.

But in 2022, Harris is not receiving as many touches. In two games, he has totaled 25 carries for a total of 72 yards, an average of just 2.9 yards per attempt. His only touchdown of the season came on a short pass from Mitchell Trubisky in Week 1.

Against the Browns on Thursday, Harris has the chance of having his breakout game of the season. Pro Football Focus ranks Cleveland's defensive line as just No. 20, so the running back can use that in his favor. Last season in matchups versus the Browns, Harris had some of the best games of his young career. In Week 17, he had 28 carries for 188 yards, plus a touchdown. He also added 18 yards on three catches and scored once through the air.

If there is one game that Harris will get at least 100 rushing yards and a touchdown, this is it. He is used to dominating against the Browns, so there is a chance it happens again on Thursday.

1. Steelers will be in a one-score game

2022 has been the definition of close games for both the Steelers and Browns. Pittsburgh won its first game by three points and lost the second by also three points. Similarly, Cleveland won Week 1 by just two points, then followed with a loss by just one point.

Both teams showed they are able to play in clutch moments, whether it is overtime or keeping a small lead despite an attempted comeback from the opponent. Also, since the two do not have the flashiest quarterbacks in Trubisky and Brissett, fans might not see many points.

It should be a back-and-forth contest from start to finish. There should be many punts from both sides and settling for field goals. It might be a bit difficult in the beginning, but the ending should be another thriller to watch.

The game should be up for grabs until the final whistle. Fans should not be surprised if it is at most a one-touchdown game, nor if it ends up going to overtime.