Saints vs. Browns Point Spread: NFL Week 16 Odds, Prediction

Edgar Chaput | Updated Dec 21, 2022

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Two teams whose playoff aspirations hang on hopes and prayers meet on the gridiron in Week 16 when the New Orleans Saints visit the Cleveland Browns.

New Orleans
7-10
AT
December 24, 2022, 1:00 PM ET
FirstEnergy Stadium
Cleveland
7-10
Pointspread +3 -112
Moneyline +135
Over / Under o +32

27%

Betting Action

73%

Matchup NFL Odds
Pointspread -3 -108
Moneyline -162
Over / Under u +32

27%

Betting Action

73%

Matchup NFL Odds

Neither side is officially eliminated, although both would need to win out and witness rival hopefuls flounder during the three remaining weeks.

The Browns are -3 favourites on the NFL odds and the over-under is established at 32, one of the lowest of the season.

NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis

Since returning Cleveland for the 1999 season things have not often panned out for the Browns. During that same time span, New Orleans has often displayed Super Bowl aspirations. As such, some may be surprised to learn that the Ohio-based side has claimed four of the six meetings.

One can’t criticize Dennis Allen’s Saints for not being consistent. Just as they have tallied a 5-9 win-loss record on the season so far, their performances against the spread are an identical 5-9. Most of their successes have come at home, however. When playing away from the Superdome, the team is only 1-5 ATS. Equally concerning is that covering when pinned as underdogs has been a challenge. New Orleans has only managed that twice in six tries.

Cleveland has put in slightly more honourable performances ATS in 2022, having gone 7-7 at this stage of the season. It’s a telling sign as to how they held the fort, relatively speaking, while Deshaun Watson sat out his mandated suspension. Since his return three weeks ago, the team has gone 2-1, even though the offence hasn’t done much during that span.

New Orleans Saints

As silly as it sounds, the single greatest benefit to competing in the NFC South is that even at 5-9 the Saints still have a shot at the playoffs. It’s not a great chance and it would have to involve Tampa Bay really making a mess of their final three games (granted, they made a mess of their last two), but technically they can get in.

Boosting their odds was last Sunday’s victory at home to the divisional rival Atlanta Falcons. The 21-18 final probably should have seen a wider margin of victory considering that New Orleans’ defence had the luxury of playing against Falcons rookie QB Desmond Ridder, who threw for only 97 yards. On the flip side, the Saints offence hasn’t had a glowing season either, and after two brilliant first-quarter drives orchestrated by both Andy Dalton and Taysom Hill that provided a 14-0 advantage, the team was stuck in neutral for much of the afternoon.

Cleveland Browns

Last Saturday’s 13-3 victory at home to the Baltimore Ravens was the lesser of the NFL’s ‘Saturday Showdown’ tilts, but the Dawg Pound probably doesn’t care. For one, they exacted a measure of pain onto Baltimore, with whom they share a special, unique rivalry. Second, it was Deshaun Watson’s first home game as a Brown.

No one will argue that the controversial starter lit up the scene, but it was a vast improvement over the debacles in Houston and Cincinnati of the two previous weeks. The day mostly belonged to the annual beast of a running back Nick Chubb, who sliced his way to 99 yards on 21 carries for an impressive average of 4.7 yards per tote. Kareem Hunt tacked on 24 yards of his own, and Watson scampered for another 22. The key to any offensive success is balance, and as long as they can run while Watson finds his mojo, the Browns will be a tough out.

NFL Prediction: Who Will Win Saints vs. Browns?

NFL Predictions
SportsInteraction
  • NO
  • +3 -3
  • CLE
Matchup NFL Odds