The Cincinnati Bengals head to the FirstEnergy Stadium to take on the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football.
Cincinnati has played well as of late, winning four out of it last five games played. The Bengals are now 4-3 SU after opening the season with an 0-2 SU record. Cincinnati will be playing a Cleveland team that is looking to end a four-game losing skid. In their last game, the Browns lost to the Baltimore Ravens 23-20.
The Browns will be without one of their top offensive players in David Njoku who suffered a high-ankle sprain last week. Cincinnati opened as the -2.5 point spread favorites but that line is up to -3.
The reigning AFC champions have found their stroke, winning four out of their last five games including their last two. The Bengals started the season with back-to-back losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys but are now one game above the .500 mark at 4-3 SU and 2nd in the AFC North Division team standings.
Cincinnati is 8th in the NFL in scoring at 24.8 points per game scored this season. The Bengals are 5th in passing at 278.7 yards per game behind Joe Burrow. On the ground, the Bengals are just 28th at 87.4 rushing yards per game. Burrow has thrown for 2,097 passing yards with 15 TDs and just 5 interceptions.
The Browns opened the season with a 2-1 SU record with their only loss a 21-20 setback to the New York Jets. However, Cleveland’s offense has struggled as of late, scoring 20 or fewer points four times in their last 5 games played. They have lost four in a row although three of the four losses have been by 3 points or less.
Cleveland’s defense is 29th in the NFL with 26.6 points per game allowed. They are also 16th in total defense at 346.0 total yards per game allowed. They are giving up 135.6 rushing yards per game and 210.4 passing yards per contest. In their first seven games played this season, the Browns have forced only 6 takeaways in 7 games played.
The Bengals are 3-7 SU in their last 10 games played against the Browns. Cleveland is also 4-1 SU in their last five home games against Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bengals SU trends:
Cleveland Browns SU trends:
After starting the season with back-to-back losses, the defending AFC champions Cincinnati Bengals are back on track with four wins in their last five games played. The Bengal head to Monday night coming off back-to-back wins over the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons.
The Bengals looked spectacular on offense against the Falcons the last time out, thanks mainly to QB Joe Burrow who completed 34 of 42 passes for 481 passing yards with 3 TDs and zero interceptions.
Joey B struck early with a 60-yard TD pass to wide receiver Tyler Boyd two minutes into the game. Burrow then threw a pair of TDs to Ja’Marr Chase to give the Bengals a 28-7 lead before halftime. The Bengals cruised from there.
It remains to be seen whether Kareem Hunt stays in Cleveland after the trade deadline but while he’s still there, the Browns have a pretty good double-barrel running offense with Hunt and Nick Chubb. In their last game, the Browns rushed 24 times for 113 yards with Hunt and Chubb recording one rushing touchdown each.
Cleveland is 2-0 SU and ATS this season in games where Chubb has 19 carries and 0-5 U and 1-4 ATS in games where he has less than 19 rushes. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that the Browns have been successful in games where they have run the football more.
Given their strengths, it won’t be a surprise if the Browns will run the football and slow the game down to dictate the tempo. Chubb is the league’s reading rusher and has never averaged below 5 yards per carry in his career. This season, Chubb is averaging a career-high 5.9 yards per carry.
Meanwhile, the Bengals are at their best when they start hot behind the arm of Burrow. Joey B doesn’t have to throw for 500 yards but his passing will be the key to winning this game. For as long as Burrow’s offensive line gives him enough time to throw and he is aggressive through the air, the Bengals will be tough to beat.
Prediction: Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are 12-3 ATS in their last 10 games played against the Browns. Cincinnati is also 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games played in Cleveland. The underdog is also 5-0 ATS in the last 5 games played between these two teams.
Cincinnati Bengals ATS trends:
Cleveland Browns ATS trends:
Bengals
-3 (-110)
Browns
+3 (-110)
Odds from BetOnline as of 10/31/2022
The Browns have scored 20 or fewer points thrice in their last four games played and they are 0-4 SU during that stretch. They have one of the best running games in the NFL but are one of the league’s worst passing teams. With the Bengals having one of the best rush defenses in football, the Browns could end up getting forced to let Brissett win the game with his arm.
Meanwhile, the Bengals have scored 27 points in four out of their last five games played. Even if they will be without Chase in this game, Cincinnati has good depth at wide receiver with Higgins and Boyd. The Browns’ pass defense is giving up nearly 300 passing yards per game. That’s not going to work against Joe Burrow who is playing very well right now.
I’ll lay the field goal and go with the Bengals.
Prediction: Cincinnati Bengals -3
The total has gone over in 7 out of the last 9 games played between these two teams. However, the under is 6-2-1 in the last 9 meetings in Cleveland.
Cincinnati Bengals over/under trends:
Cleveland Browns over/under trends:
Over
45 (-110)
Under
45 (-110)
Odds from BetOnline as of 10/31/2022
I do not doubt that the Bengals will have a good scoring game on Monday versus a Browns team that has struggled to defend the pass this season. Meanwhile, the Browns have struggled to score points in their recent games and will be facing a Bengals squad that is conceding only 18.9 points per game this season.
I think that Cincinnati will score big on Monday night but the problem is that their defense has been good and the Browns like to run the football.
Prediction: Under 45
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