The Cleveland Browns (3-11) and Cincinnati Bengals (6-8) will face off in NFL Week 16. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET from Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. The game will be broadcast live on CBS and can be streamed on Paramount+.
The Bengals are 9-point favorites over the Browns on the spread (Bengals -9), with the over/under set at 46.5 total points. The Bengals are -500 favorites to win outright, while the Browns are +375 to pull off the upset.
Cincinnati is still hanging around in the NFL playoff picture at 6-8 thanks in large part to Joe Burrow leading the league in both passing yards (3,977) and passing touchdowns (36). The Browns, however, do not share the same quarterback stability, as Jameis Winston was benched in favor of Dorian Thompson-Robinson following another three-interception outing last week.
Let's get into my Bengals vs Browns predictions and NFL picks for this Sunday.
Browns vs. Bengals Prediction, Picks
Spread
I'm avoiding taking either side in this matchup. I'd like to fade this awful Cincinnati defense, but betting on Dorian Thompson-Robinson doesn't seem particularly wise either.
Player Props
I'm betting on Ja'Marr Chase.
Tee Higgins is in the lineup, which this season has meant it's a smash spot for Chase. I'll go into the various ways you can bet on Chase below, but my favorite pick is for him to score a touchdown.
My Pick: Ja'Marr Chase Anytime Touchdown (-130)
Browns vs. Bengals Odds, Spread, Over/Under
| Browns Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+9.5 -110 | 46.5 -110o / -110u | +375 |
| Bengals Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-9.5 -110 | 46.5 -110o / -110u | -500 |
- Browns vs. Bengals spread: Bengals -9.5
- Browns vs. Bengals over/under: 46.5 total points
- Browns vs. Bengals moneyline: Bengals -500, Browns +375
- Browns vs. Bengals best bet: Ja'Marr Chase Anytime TD (-130)
MyBrowns vs. Bengals best bet is on Ja'Marr Chase player props. For all of your NFL bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NFL odds page.
Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals Preview
The Browns are now tanking. Benching Jameis Winston’s upside for Dorian Thompson-Robinson indicates that Cleveland has no intention of doing its best to win games this season.
This spread is pretty high for a divisional rematch. I make it a few points lower than 8.5, but I can’t bet on Thompson-Robinson. I’d love to fade the Bengals defense, but Thompson-Robinson is simply not a quarterback I can recommend putting my money on.
For the Bengals, I don’t mind the over on their team total at 27.5. They’ve scored 27 or more points in six straight games and are averaging 34 points per game in that span. With Tee Higgins healthy, that average is down to 30.2.
That’s an odd stat with Higgins, who you’d think would enhance Cincinnati’s offense. That’s not the case, though.
So, the Browns have given up six 100-yard games to opposing receivers this season, and a wide receiver has scored in 10 straight games against them.
I’m not looking to bet on Higgins, so then it must be Ja’Marr Chase.
The especially interesting part is that Chase is better with Higgins in the lineup than without. Chase has had five games this season with fewer than 70 receiving yards, and four of those were without Higgins. Teams clearly key in on Chase when it’s just him to worry about.
With Higgins in the lineup, Chase is averaging 106 receiving yards per game with 11 touchdowns in nine games. Chase has scored in seven of nine games with Higgins in the lineup, and he’s scored twice in four of the nine.
The market to bet on Chase is for him to score a touchdown. I wouldn’t mind +500 on Chase to score twice, and you can get him at about +700 on 150-yard escalators.
Feeling frisky? Parlay 150 yards and two touchdowns for about +2500, depending on the sportsbook.
My Pick: Ja'Marr Chase Anytime Touchdown Scorer (-130)
