Browns vs Bengals Prediction, Pick | NFL Week 18 Odds
For my Browns vs Bengals prediction & pick, I'm targeting the game total over/under, which sits at 37.5.
Week 18 is here, and what was an exciting divisional battle this is, as unimportant as it is. The Browns are locked into their playoff spot, and like the Ravens, they are opting to rest a number of their important players, notably Joe Flacco, Amari Cooper and Myles Garrett. For the Bengals, there's really nothing going except positioning for the 2024 NFL Draft.
Let’s preview the Battle of Ohio and get to my Browns vs Bengals prediction.
Browns vs Bengals Prediction, Pick
Browns vs Bengals Odds
| Browns Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Line | Over/Under | Moneyline |
+7.5 -110 | 37 -110o / -110u | +280 |
| Bengals Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Line | Over/Under | Moneyline |
-7.5 -110 | 37 -110o / -110u | -360 |
Browns vs. Bengals Preview
The Bengals made the best of their season post-Joe Burrow, but it seems like Jake Browning has turned back into a pumpkin.
After averaging 31.7 points per game rattling off three straight wins to start December, the Bengals have crashed landed back to earth. They've lost their last two and have been held under 20 points in both of those games. Browning has had his worst two games as a starter in that time, too, completing 62.7% of his passes with a quarterback rating of 76.1.
As for the Bengals' run game, it's been non-existent all season. Cincinnati is last in rushing yards per game and 27th in yards per carry. It's really only shown hope when the passing game fires on all cylinders, which hasn't been the case of late.
But defense is where Cincinnati has disappointed the most.
After fielding a good unit specializing in situational football the previous two years, the Bengals defense has been one of the worst this season. They allow the most yards per drive and rank 25th in points per drive. They still play well situationally, ranking 11th in red-zone defense, but that matters much less when opposing teams move the ball at will.
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Turning to the Browns, they made an interesting decision to start Jeff Driskell, who will be their fifth starting quarterback this season. Part of me thinks they made this move just to add to the infamous jersey with all the QB names on it.
Along with Joe Flacco, Cleveland will also be resting Amari Cooper while Elijah Moore is questionable after suffering a scary concussion against the Jets. This was one of the worst passing attacks in the league before Flacco took over — with a dearth of players missing, we could see something even worse on Sunday.
The ground is where where Cleveland had success before the arrival of Flacco. In the seven games after the bye (without Flacco), Browns running backs failed to rush for at least 100 yards just once. A big part of that was the mobility of their quarterbacks, in addition to a commitment to pounding the rock. With Driskell, the dual-threat aspect returns so we may see a boost.
Defensively, the Browns have arguably had the best unit all year. However, they already announced Myles Garrett will be sitting, and we could see some other key contributors play less than usual.
It’s hard to forecast this defense without knowing who will be on the field, but they'll still be well prepared by Jim Schwartz. The good news for Cleveland is the Bengals are shorthanded offensively, not to mention familiarity with a division rival.
Browns vs. Bengals Prediction, Pick
This game screams under.
The Bengals offense has regressed and the Browns are resting key players and turning to their fifth starting QB. The total is set at a level we would see in a typical Browns game but the quarterback situation for both teams implies it should be less.
Even if you think Jake Browning has more magical performances in him, I can’t see the Browns doing anything to put points on the board. Cleveland has its mind on next week while Cincinnati is ready to end a disappointing season.
