Cleveland vs Cincinnati Odds & Prediction
It’s the battle of Ohio this Sunday in Cincinnati as the Bengals host the Cleveland Browns. Both teams will be looking for their first win in this one. The Bengals were crushed by the Ravens on Monday night.
Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Paul Brown Stadium
Sunday September 16, 1:00 PM EST on CBS
NFL Betting Odds from Bovada
Moneyline: Cincinnati (-310) Cleveland (+260)
NFL Spread: Bengals -6.5 (-110) vs. Browns +6.5 (-110)
Over/Under: 38
The Browns looked like they were going to upset the Eagles, but Philadelphia came through with a score late in the fourth quarter to get out of Cleveland with a 17-16 win.
Cleveland
The Browns have a whole new backfield with Brandon Weeden and Trent Richardson. Richardson was the team’s top draft pick, and this organization is really counting on him being a star running back for many years to come. Richardson only gained 39 yards on 19 carries last week, but he was up against a very good Eagles defensive front. Brandon Weeden may be a 28-year old rookie, but he looked lost in his first start in the NFL last week. Weeden threw four interceptions and was 12 for 35. He doesn’t have the best weapons to work with on the outside, but he’ll have to take care of the ball better if the Browns are going to be competitive.
The Browns defense was terrific against the pass last year, but they will be without star cornerback Joe Haden. Haden will be serving a suspension for the next four weeks. The Eagles moved the ball with ease against this defense last week. The only reason the Browns were in the game was Philadelphia turned the ball over five times. The front seven must improve against the run. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Cincinnati
The Bengals were trailing just 17-13 late in the third quarter at Baltimore last week, and then the wheels fell off. The Ravens ended up smashing the Bengals 44-13 on Monday Night Football. Cincinnati made the playoffs last year, but they didn’t end up beating any team that was in the playoffs. The Bengals are a team on the rise, but they play in the very difficult AFC North. Andy Dalton was one of the biggest surprises in the NFL last year. A.J. Green made the Pro Bowl as a rookie. The Bengals need more production from their running game this year. BenJarvus Green-Ellis had a solid week one. The offensive line should be a strength for this team.
Defensively, the Bengals were very good last year. The front seven is good against the run, and they have a lot of depth on the defensive line. Don’t look for many teams to just be able to run it down the Bengals throat this year. Leon Hall was one of the better corners in the game a couple years ago, but he was out last year with a serious injury. He was beaten deep several times in the Ravens game last week, and that will be something to watch in the coming weeks. If there is a weakness for the Bengals defense, it is the secondary.
Both games went over the posted total last year, and this number is set extremely low. I think the offenses will improve a bit in week two.
Free NFL Pick: Over 38
