The Battle of Ohio takes the primetime stage for NFL betting, with the Cincinnati Bengals visiting the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football.
These AFC North rivals both enter Week 2 sitting at 0-1 on the season but the perception between the Bengals and Browns couldn’t be more different. Cleveland still reeks of a 38-6 drubbing at Baltimore on Sunday while the Bengals got a passing grade following a tough 16-13 loss to Los Angeles at home.
We give our favorite NFL free picks and predictions for Cincinnati vs. Cleveland on September 17.
Cincinnati Bengals vs Cleveland Browns betting preview
Weather
The early-week forecast for Cleveland is calling for partly cloudy skies and game-time temperatures in the low-50s with winds blowing up to 20 mph. Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our NFL weather info.
Key Injuries
Bengals: Geno Atkins DT (Questionable), Randy Bullock K (Questionable), Xavier Su'a-Filo G (Questionable)
Browns: David Njoku TE (Out), Chris Hubbard T (Questionable), Jedrick Wills Jr. T (Questionable), David Njoku TE (Questionable), Greedy Williams CB (Questionable)
Find our latest NFL injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The point spread favorite has covered in eight of the last 10 meetings between the Bengals and Browns. Find more NFL betting trends for Bengals vs. Browns.
Against the spread (ATS) pick
The lookahead line for this game was Cleveland -8.5 when select sportsbooks posted those odds in the spring. The true Week 2 opener, which hit the board Sunday night, had the Browns as big as touchdown favorites at home but instant action on the Bengals bet this divisional matchup down to six points, with some Cleveland -5.5 surfacing Monday morning. Those dried up pretty quick.
Yes, the Browns looked bad versus Baltimore in Week 1. But this offense, which sputtered for only 306 yards and six points (missed PAT), was running a new playbook at game speed for the first time and had to do so against a stop unit that ranked Top 5 in defensive DVOA in 2019.
The Cleveland defense was also debuting a shiny new system… against the most relentless offensive attack in recent NFL history. However, on Thursday, the Browns get back home to face a rookie quarterback and a Bengals offense that only managed 13 points in their Week 1 loss.
The early line move seems like a knee-jerk reaction given the above circumstances. If you haven’t been soured on the Browns – as so many seem to be – see if you can get this one under the key number of six and hope the short week benefits the home side.
PREDICTION: Cleveland -6 (-110)
Over/Under pick
The Ohio teams combined for just 19 points in their Week 1 openers but there’s a lot of offense still on the table with this Thursday nighter.
Joe Burrow played well beyond his years against the Chargers, outside of that errant shovel pass. His poise under pressure, patience with the blocking, and execution in the crunch (with a go-ahead TD being called back) didn’t look like a QB making his first pro start. It will be a “two steps forward, one step back” process for Cincy’s young signal caller in the opening weeks of 2020.
As for the Browns, Baker Mayfield needs to have a short memory and a quick turnaround could be all the brash QB needs to get his groove back (don’t you miss “danger is my middle name” Baker?). He’s got options aplenty, especially with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt combing for 5.7 yards per carry against the Ravens but having the ground game nixed because Cleveland trailed by so much.
The lookahead line in the spring had the total at 46 points and the official Week 2 opening total was 45 points, which has since dropped to 44. These divisional foes have gone 4-0-1 Over/Under in their previous five matchups.
PREDICTION: Over 44 (-110)
Player prop pick
As mentioned above, the one bright spot from the Browns’ beating in Week 1 was the two-head running beast in Chubb and Hunt. The pair posted 132 yards on the ground, 72 of which came from Hunt, who carried the ball 13 times.
Cleveland has a solid offensive line and will lean on it to kick start the offense in this crucial primetime game. Hunt can not only break off gains on the ground but can also add up the YAC (yards after the catch) in the short passing game. While he managed only nine yards on four catches versus Baltimore, Hunt did have 245 yards receiving on 37 receptions in limited play last year (he missed half of the season due to suspension).
Those totals included 72 combined yards on just five catches in two matchups with the Bengals. Cincinnati did a good job checking L.A.’s pass-catching backs on Sunday but did allow 104 yards receiving and four touchdowns to RBs last season.
PREDICTION: Kareem Hunt Over 65.5 total yards (-115)
Bengals vs Browns betting card
- Cleveland -6 (-110)
- Over 44 (-110)
- Kareem Hunt Over 65.5 total yards (-115)
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