Cleveland Browns vs Cincinnati Bengals Predictions, Picks & Odds 9/17/20
So, the NFL has kicked off the 2020-21 season. Although we’re only entering Week 2, there are already many questions being asked about so many teams. One match-up that is sure to draw a lot of attention is the Thursday Night Football game: Cleveland Browns vs Cincinnati Bengals.
The Browns started off the season in true Browns fashion. The team was destroyed 38-6 by the Baltimore Ravens. Meanwhile, 2019 NFL MVP Lamar Jackson ran riot on the Browns, making their defense look weak.
Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield also had no answers on the offensive front. It seems that all hopes that fans had for an unstoppable partnership with Odell Beckham Jr are dead. But it may be too early in the season to tell.
On the other side is the Cincinnati Bengals, who also floundered in their first game of the season. (Is there something wrong with the Ohio air?) Rookie Joe Burrow threw for 193 yards and an interception against no touchdowns. However, the Bengals still looked on track to perhaps nab a win, but kicker Randy Bullock missed a game-tying field goal in the dying moments of the game.
So, who will win this battle between two teams looking for their first win?
Cleveland Browns vs Cincinnati Bengals Predictions
Well, before we get into the predictions, let’s have a look at some of the stats:
- As mentioned above, the Browns were absolutely derailed in their first game of the season, losing 38-6 to the Baltimore Ravens. The loss made the Browns look absolutely pathetic, but it was against the best regular-season team of 2019. So, perhaps they will do better against a less imposing team.
- A lot of Browns fans are debating whether the team should hang on to third-year quarterback Baker Mayfield at this point. In his first game of the season, Mayfield threw for 189 yards, one touchdown, and one interception for a rating of 65.
- Defensively, the team is pretty weak. Going into this one, they have allowed 38 points so far and 377 yards, which would make any defensive coordinator sad.
- The Bengals didn’t have an amazing season opener, but it wasn’t as bad as the Browns. They lost 16-13 to the Los Angeles Chargers. Unfortunately, the game could have been tied, but an important field goal was missed.
- Joe Burrow enters the game having thrown 193 yards with zero touchdowns against one interception. In his last game, he rushed 23 yards for a touchdown, which shows some athletic ability. His completion rate is also better than Mayfield’s at 63.9%.
- Defensively, the Bengals look stronger than the Browns, having allowed 16 points and 362 yards. But this may also say more about the Chargers’ offensive abilities.
- Against the spread at home, the Browns are 3-1-1. The Bengals are 8-3 on the road.
Our Prediction
This is a hard one. Did the Browns just have a bad game against the Ravens? Or will Joe Burrow do better against a team that appears to have a weaker defense?
Overall, the Browns have just been a disappointing team these last two years. They showed so much promise when Mayfield was first drafted. But after a bad 2019 campaign and poor start to the 2020 season, it seems that they can’t be trusted.
So, go for the Bengals spread on this one. If you are really feeling risky, you may even want to go for the Bengals moneyline in this battle for Ohio.
