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Edgar Chaput
Cardinals vs. Browns Point Spread: NFL Week 9 Odds, Prediction
Each side lost its contest in Week 8, yet Cleveland can remain somewhat optimistic about its prospects. Conversely, the Cardinals, even if Kyler Murray eventually returns to action this year, are most likely done for the season.
In a snapshot of where the franchises lie, despite that the Browns are only 4-3, the NFL odds have them as considerable -8 favourites.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Perhaps this is the week when the Cleveland Browns end the negative trends versus the Cardinals. Not that these clubs play each other very often, but Arizona has won the last five contests against the Browns dating back to the late aughts. The Cardinals have scored over 30 points in the last three of those contests.
If there is one thing a better can count on, relatively often, is that when a team isn’t doing very well in the standings, there is still a chance the record against the spread is serviceable. To that point, the Cardinals are an okay 4-3-1 ATS on the season. That said, they’ve only covered once in five games. The over is 5-2.
As for the Cleveland Browns, they’ve mustered a 4-3 tally against the spread through seven games. Their last two results flip-flopped (a win failing to cover and a defeat still allowed them to cover). Furthermore, for a team with such a vaunted defence, the over has surprisingly connected two matches in a row.
Arizona Cardinals
It’s sad to say, but after eight games played, the Arizona Cardinals are pretty much done and dusted. It’s difficult to envision how they could storm back from a 1-7 start with a backup QB at the helm and too many mental errors on both sides of the ball.
Last Sunday afternoon they hosted a good Baltimore Ravens side. The contest played like so many prior Cardinals games. To its credit, Arizona can be frisky within games. One wouldn’t think it, but the hosts had more first downs (albeit by just one) and more total offensive yards. QB Josh Dobbs made some genuinely nice throws to Marquise Browns and Trey McBribe, particularly in the fourth quarter when the team mounted a comeback. The club’s problem is that it isn’t consistent from quarter to quarter and they don’t have the personnel to play ball with teams like the Ravens, not to mention they have a first-year head coach. Baltimore RB Gus Edwards had a trick of TDs and Lamar Jackson didn’t have to wow anyone because his opposite number tossed killer INTs. Cardinals lose, 31-24.
It’s being reported that Murray could play at Cleveland in Week 9.
Cleveland Browns
Like it or not, as long Deshaun Watson remains out for the Cleveland Browns, there are going to be too many results like the 24-20 loss against Seattle in Week 8.
In all honesty, the Browns played relatively well. It was a performance that on another day might have flipped the script and provided a victory. After all, they weren’t perfect the week before yet still defeated the Colts. The first quarter was the difference insofar as Cleveland’s vaunted defence looked completely lost against Geno Smith, DK Metcalf, and Tyler Lockett. It was 17-7 when the whistle blew after 15 minutes, which didn’t bode well. But these Browns are genuinely a stout club. They ended up producing two turnovers (both interceptions caught by Maurice Hurst II and Martin Emerson Jr.) and the running back committee of Kareem Hunt, Pierre Strong Jr., and Jerome Ford rumbled to 155 yards on the ground and a TD.
But P.J. Walker is not a solution at quarterback. He’s tossed five picks in two games and the Browns are within striking distance in their matches despite him.
ARI
CLE