Where to watch Browns vs. Steelers: TV channel, live stream, prediction, pick, odds, spread

Sunday is a pivotal game for the Steelers and Browns, though for vastly different reasons. 

For Pittsburgh, Sunday is a chance to possibly extend its lead over the rest of the field in the AFC North standings. At 3-1, the Steelers will enter Sunday's game with a 1.5-game lead over second-place Bengals. Given that Cincinnati is a 14-point underdog at Green Bay, the Steelers figure to likely emerge from the Week 6 with even greater separation in the division with a win over Cleveland. 

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At 1-4, the Browns need a win if they want to increase their odds of still playing meaningful football by month's end. While their record isn't good, a win could go a long way for the Browns, given the current state of fellow division foes Cincinnati (2-3) and Baltimore (1-4). 

Records aside, Sunday's game is a matchup of two historic rivals who simply don't like each other. If nothing else, expect a physical game that has become a trademark of AFC North football. 

Here's how you can follow the action in real time, along with a breakdown and a prediction for Sunday. 

Where to watch Browns vs. Steelers live

• When: Sunday, Oct. 12 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
• Where: Acrisure Stadium -- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• TV: CBS | Stream: Paramount+
• Follow: CBS Sports App
• Odds: Steelers -5.5; O/U 38.5 (via FanDuel)

Browns vs. Steelers: Need to know 

It'll be a road debut for Gabriel. Sunday will be the first regular season road start for Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel. In his first start (which was played in London), the third-round pick had a solid game, going 19 of 33 for 190 yards and two touchdowns in a 21-17 loss to the Vikings. 

No more Joe. Last year, the Steelers lost to the Colts after Joe Flacco replaced injured starter Anthony Richardson. There's no chance history will repeat itself on Sunday after the Browns traded Flacco to the Bengals earlier this week. 

What about Shedeur? If something were to happen to Gabriel, the Browns' quarterback options are rookie Shedeur Sanders and veteran Bailey Zappe, who promoted from the practice squad after Flacco was traded. Sanders has yet to attempt a pass in a regular season game. Zappe does has a win over the Steelers on his resume, a 21-18 victory during the 2023 season as a member of the Patriots. Zappe went 19 for 28 for 240 yards in three touchdowns in that game. 

A surprising trade. The Browns' second surprise trade when down on Wednesday night when the news broke that they were trading Greg Newsome II and a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Jaguars in exchange for fellow cornerback Tyson Campbell and a 2026 seventh-round pick. Unless Campbell learns the Browns' defense extremely quickly, Newsome's replacement for Sunday will likely be Myles Harden, a 2024 seventh-round pick who has already made three starts this season. 

Tomlin's dominance facing rookie QBs. Saying that Mike Tomlin's teams have historically played well against rookie quarterbacks would be a massive understatement. Under Tomlin, the Steelers are 26-6 against rookie quarterbacks. Two of those losses, however, were against the Browns, with the most recent loss occurring in 2023 when Dorian Thompson-Robinson led the Browns to an upset win in Cleveland. 

The rivalry within the rivalry. Sunday's game will feature two of the NFL's best pass rushers in 2017 first-round picks Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt. Their rivalry went to another level the last two years, with Garrett proclaiming himself as the league's premier pass rusher last year after the Browns upset the Steelers in Week 12. Garrett's comments came after Watt posted a passive-aggressive message on social media after Garrett was chosen over him as the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year. 

Browns vs. Steelers prediction, pick 

Turnovers appear to be the Browns' best chance of pulling off an upset. If the Steelers take care of the ball, minimize Cleveland's rushing attack (led by rookie Quinshon Judkins) and get their own running game going, Pittsburgh should be able to take care of business while getting its first home win of the 2025 season. Pick: Steelers -5.5, Under 38.5