The Cleveland Browns will stick with quarterback Robert Griffin III this week, as they prepare to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in their season finale. Head coach Hue Jackson made the announcement on Friday as the team wrapped up practice.
Griffin has made three straight starts for the Browns, but was coming off a concussion suffered in the team’s Week 16 win over the San Diego Chargers. RG3 was 17 of 25 for 164 yards, and added 42 rushing yards before departing the game. He has cleared through the protocol in time for one final start.
The Browns travel to face a Steelers team that has nothing to play for in Week 17. They clinched the AFC North and cannot move up or down from their current position as the No. 3 seed. Head coach Mike Tomlin announced earlier this week that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, running back Le’Veon Bell, and wide receiver Antonio Brown will all sit out Sunday’s game. Landry Jones, Fitzgerald Touissant, and Eli Rogers are expected to fill in for the three of them, respectively.
The Steelers opened as an 11-point favorite, but the line dropped to six following the news that Pittsburgh would rest several players. There is a pretty good chance the Steelers still win this game, but it opens the door for at least the potential of an upset. If the Browns beat the Steelers and the 49ers lose to the Seahawks, San Francisco would get the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. I’m not holding my breath for this result but maybe we can get a New Years’ Day surprise!