The Los Angeles Chargers (4-3) and Cleveland Browns (2-6) will begin the Sunday afternoon slate of NFL Week 9 at 1 p.m. ET from Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland. The game will be live on CBS and can be streamed on Paramount+, YouTube TV and other services. The Chargers are favored by 1.5 points over the Browns (Chargers -1.5) with the game total set at 42.5 points. The Chargers are -125 on the moneyline and Cleveland is +105 to pull off the upset.
The Chargers won 26-8 last week over the Saints. Justin Herbert is starting to heat up, as he threw for 279 yards and 2 touchdowns last week, and Los Angeles has now won 2 of its last 3 games. The Browns pulled off a stunning 29-24 upset last week over the Ravens. Jameis Winston will get the start again for Cleveland, after throwing for 334 yards and 3 touchdowns in his first start of the season.
Let's get into my Chargers vs. Browns predictions and my NFL picks for Week 9.
Chargers vs. Browns Expert Picks
Spread
The Browns offense has drastically improved with Jameis Winston under center instead of Deshaun Watson. Last week's win over the Ravens was a great example as Winston thrived against one of the best teams in the NFL.
The market is too low on Cleveland, so I'm going to take the points here and bet the home underdog.
Moneyline
I'd rather take the points and bet the Browns against the spread than bet their moneyline.
Over/Under
I have no play on this game's total.
My pick: Browns +1.5
Chargers vs. Browns Odds, Point Spread, Total, Lines
| Chargers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -110 | 42.5 -110 / -110 | -125 |
| Browns Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -110 | 42.5 -110 / -110 | +105 |
- Chargers vs. Browns Spread: Chargers -1.5
- Chargers vs. Browns Over/Under: 42.5 points scored
- Chargers vs. Browns Moneyline: Chargers -125, Browns +105
- Chargers vs. Browns Best Bet: Browns +1.5
- 63% of bets and 68% of the money are on the Browns to cover the spread.
- 92% of bets and 80% of the money are on the over.
- 68% of bets and 53% of the money on the moneyline are on the Chargers.
My Browns vs. Chargers pick is on the home underdog. For all of your NFL bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NFL odds page.
Chargers vs. Browns NFL Week 9
I was on the Browns last week and will continue to back them. I think the market is still too low on Cleveland with the change under center from Deshaun Watson to Jameis Winston.
Last week against the Ravens, the Browns scored more than 20 points for the first time this season. Winston was excellent with 334 passing yards and three touchdown passes, two to Cedric Tillman.
The Chargers defense has been good this season, but it doesn’t create a lot of pressure. In coverage, Los Angeles sits back and plays a lot of zone. With that, its pressure rate is pretty low, second worst in the NFL.
A big boost for Winston is getting some of the Browns offensive line back. Wyatt Teller and Jack Conklin are back, which will help protect Winston and aid the run game. Nick Chubb has improved every week since making his 2024 debut, and I expect the Cleveland ground game to continue benefiting from his presence.
The big factor here, though, is Winston. This season, 41 quarterbacks have 64 dropbacks, which is how many he has. Winston ranks first among those 41 QBs in EPA per dropback. Watson is 39th.
Justin Herbert, meanwhile, is 20th. The Chargers offense that Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman have implemented is extremely run heavy. Even with some key injuries on the Browns defense, the Los Angeles offense is not going to intimidate anyone.
Herbert is a great quarterback, but this offense relies heavily on the run game. J.K. Dobbins’ explosive runs have disappeared as the season has progressed, and the receivers at Herbert’s disposal aren’t great. The Chargers play a lot of heavy personnel, not trying to hide what they want to do with the ball.
I don’t see this as a game that the Chargers will be able to get up by a noteworthy margin early. I’m going to take the points and back the Browns with a new offense that looks much better with Winston under center.
Pick: Browns +1.5 (-110)
How to Watch: Time, Channel, Streaming
| Location: | Huntington Bank Field |
| Date: | Sunday, Nov. 3 |
| Kickoff Time: | 1 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | CBS / Paramount+ and YouTube TV |
Browns vs. Chargers is scheduled for a 1 p.m. ET start time, live from Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, OH, on Sunday, Nov. 3. The game is broadcasted live by CBS and is streaming on Paramount+ and YouTube TV.
NFL Weather
