Cleveland @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 12, 2014 ) Pittsburgh 10, Cleveland 31

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ once-promising season is being threatened again due to an injury to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Backup Landry Jones likely will get the start when the Steelers host another team with quarterback questions in the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

Roethlisberger, who missed four weeks due to a knee injury earlier in the season, was expected to miss a few weeks following a mid-foot sprain suffered in last week’s 38-35 win over the Oakland Raiders but participated in Thursday's practice on a limited basis and hopes to play against Cleveland. "My goal is always to try to get better as fast as possible," Roethlisberger told reporters. "If I'm feeling good enough and the coach determines I'm good enough to be out there on Sunday, then that's the goal." The Browns are giving Johnny Manziel first-team snaps in practice this week, but coach Mike Pettine plans to start Josh McCown (ribs) if healthy. "Josh McCown started the season as our No. 1 quarterback," Pettine said. "He's been out due to injury and potentially is coming back. I get the call for, 'Hey, why not (Manziel)?' We're tasked as coaches to put the roster out there that gives us the best hope to win."

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Steelers -4.5. O/U: 41

ABOUT THE BROWNS (2-7): McCown began throwing in practice this week for the first time since suffering the injury on Nov. 1 against Arizona. "I threw the ball around a little bit," McCown said. "Just trying to gauge how that feels and how my body responds to that." Manziel got the start last week at Cincinnati and completed 15-of-33 passes for 168 yards and one touchdown in a 31-10 loss – Cleveland’s fourth straight setback and third in a row by at least two touchdowns.

ABOUT THE STEELERS (5-4): Pittsburgh fell out of the race for the AFC North title with a loss to the Bengals two weeks ago but remains in position for a wild-card slot if Jones can make a leap in what would be his second career start. The Oklahoma product threw a pair of interceptions in a loss at Kansas City in his first start on Oct. 25 but went 4-of-6 for 79 yards in relief of Roethlisberger last week. “You can’t overthink things," Jones told reporters. "You have to go out there and play and make plays within the offense. Kansas City game, I was trying to do too much. You just have to go out there and play."

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Steelers have won eight of the last 10 in the series and are 13-3 against the Browns during coach Mike Tomlin’s tenure.

2. Cleveland WR Travis Benjamin has been kept out of the end zone in six straight games.

3. Pittsburgh RB DeAngelo Williams totaled 225 yards from scrimmage last week but is questionable due to a swollen foot.

PREDICTION: Steelers 28, Browns 13