Bengals vs. Browns Point Spread: NFL Week 7 Odds, Prediction
Cincinnati and Cleveland have been two of the most disappointing teams in the NFL this year, with both teams trailing in the AFC North division. The Bengals improved to 2-4 with a 17-7 win against the Giants last week, while the Browns lost their fourth straight game and sit at 1-5 following a 20-16 loss in Philadelphia.
Cincinnati opened as a 4.5-point favourite to win on the NFL odds, with the total set at 44.5.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Early betting action has pushed the line to Bengals -5.5 as of Thursday afternoon, while the total has dropped to 41.5. For what it’s worth, the home team has come out on top in five straight head-to-heads, with the Over hitting just once in that span.
Cincy is an even 3-3 against the spread this season, with covers in two of three road games. They’ve hit the Over in four of six games. Playing against Cleveland hasn’t been great for the Bengals, however, as they’ve lost nine of their last 12 games against the Browns, including six straight on the road.
Cleveland is a dismal 2-4 ATS this season, although both those covers came within the last three weeks. Early season football hasn’t been kind to the Browns as they are 3-9 straight up in their last 12 games played in the month of October.
Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow did enough to get the job done last week. Burrow completed 19 of 28 pass attempts for 208 yards, finishing without a passing TD or an interception. He also led the team with 55 rushing yards, including a career-long 47-yard TD run on the opening possession. Chase Brown sealed the win with a 30-yard TD run. Brown now has four total TDs over his last three games.
Despite Cincinnati’s poor record, they’ve actually managed to produce on offence. The Bengals rank 10th in the NFL in average points per game (26.2), 12th in average total yards per game (349.8) and seventh in average passing yards per game (249.7). It’s the ground attack that has struggled as they average just 100.2 rushing yards per game.
Cleveland Browns
Quarterback Deshaun Watson and head coach Kevin Stefanski are both on the hot seat after Cleveland’s fourth straight loss last week. Watson has failed to hit 200 passing yards in a game this season and he’s only thrown multiple TD passes once. He finished with 168 passing yards last week, bringing his season average to just 170.0 passing yards per game with a 5-3 TD-INT ratio. This week could be Watson’s last chance before the Browns turn to veteran backup Jameis Winston, a move I’m shocked they haven’t already made.
Stefanski’s job could be on the line as Cleveland has been atrocious in almost every aspect of the game. The Browns rank dead last in the NFL in average total yards per game (240.2), they have a negative turnover ratio (minus-1) and they’ve allowed an NFL-high 31 sacks, which is eight more than the next closest team. If things go south this week, Stefanski could pay the price.
CIN
CLE