Do the Browns just play away the headlines?
The headlines once again belonged to the Browns this offseason. The signing of scandal player Watson, his trial, verdict, appeal, new verdict and then the trade demand of running back Kareem Hunt. Cleveland has always had something going on this summer.
So it’s almost good for them to get back on the field now and let the players focus on what’s important. Like on Sunday at home against the Philadelphia Eagles. That this preseason is good for them was already evident in the first game, when they beat the Jaguars 24:13.
The Eagles, on the other hand, had a quiet and unspectacular off-season, which is also due to the fact that all personnel decisions were made a long time ago, they had a good draft and everything else is running smoothly.
In the preseason, however, the Eagles are traditionally rather weak, as they have not won any of their last six games. Therefore, our prediction for Cleveland vs. Philadelphia on Sunday is also a win for the home team, which should be quite close.
Kickoff of the NFL Preseason Game is Sunday night at 7:00pm in Cleveland.
Cleveland Browns – Statistics & current form
Hardly a week went by this summer when the Cleveland Browns were able to work in peace. Above all, the eternal drama surrounding Deshaun Watson brought more turmoil to the club than they probably imagined before signing him.
But now this saga could be over for the time being, the NFL and the independent disciplinary commission agreed on a suspension of eleven games and a fine of 5 million dollars. The eleven-game suspension is a major blow to the Browns, who will now have to come up with a plan B for this period.
Brissett now called for
Although in their first preseason game Joshua Dobbs and Josh Rosen were given preference at quarterback, we now expect Jacoby Brissett to make an appearance on Sunday. He is considered the clear transition No.1 and therefore also the starter from week one.
With him, the Browns’ offence should be even stronger than with the other two. By the way, Deshaun Watson also got some snaps on game day one against Jacksonville, but that should remain an exception in the preseason
Jerome Ford makes commercial for himself
One guy who could definitely use this first game for self-promotion was Jerome Ford. With over 100 scrimmage yards (57 rushing and 45 receiving) and two touchdowns he could develop into a good replacement for Kareem Hunt, should he no longer be in the Browns jersey.
Thanks to Ford and probably also Brissett, the Browns are not considered the underdogs on Sunday. It’s likely to be close to a 50-50 game, which is why a bet on the Browns is a more worthwhile option in Cleveland vs. Philadelphia.
Key Players:
QB: Jacoby Brissett
RB: Jerome Ford
WR: Daylen Baldwin
TE: Nakia Griffin-Stewart
K: Cade York
Philadelphia Eagles – Statistics & Current Form
The Eagles lost their first preseason game with 24:27. But that didn’t come as much of a surprise, as Philly are considered absolute preseason anti-specialists just like their arch-enemies from Dallas. They are 0-5-1 in their last six games.
At the beginning of the game, however, it seemed as if they could break their black streak, as they also played numerous snaps with starting quarterback Jalen Hurts. Hurts promptly put the Eagles in the lead with 6 of 6 successful passes and a touchdown.
Second suit not quite fitting yet
After a 14-0 lead, however, not quite as much came from Philadelphia, which we also have to chalk up to Gardner Minshew and Reid Sinnet. Especially in crunch time, Philly was no longer up to par.
However, that makes their upcoming performance against Cleveland more than just a grab bag. How much playing time will Hurts get? Might the Eagles even get A.J. Brown or DeVonta Smith on the field? With all three personnel more likely to get a break, we don’t necessarily see Philly ahead for Sunday.
Difficult matchup to gauge
With so many question marks, we would definitely avoid betting on the Eagles. It is more worthwhile to try the odds on the Browns with Cleveland against Philadelphia, which offer a significantly greater value.
Alternatively, however, we still see betting on over-points as an option. The 51 total points in the first Eagles game already gives a good impression that they are not one of the low scoring teams this preseason. Over 35.5 total points should be easily achievable with this.
Key Players:
QB: Gardner Minshew
RB: Jason Huntley
WR: Zach Pascal
TE: Dallas Goedert
K: Jake Elliott
Cleveland Browns – Philadelphia Eagles Head-to-head comparison / H2H record
The Browns’ cross-conference duel with the Eagles is also very rare to see in the NFL. Only once in the last five years. The Cleveland Browns won this one in 2020 with 22:17.
The fact that the Eagles had won five in a row since 2000 before that is a gift, since none of the players from those teams are on the squad today. And the preseason always writes its own history anyway, which is why only the last preseason games should be used as a comparison.
Here, Cleveland is 1-0 and Philly is 0-1. Another point why we should have the odds on the home team from Cleveland on the Browns vs. Eagles screen.
Cleveland Browns – Philadelphia Eagles Tip
A duel with something at stake, especially for the Browns: they need to find their starting quarterback for the season now that Deshaun Watson has finally been suspended for eleven games. The importance of this game is thus much greater for Cleveland.
That could lead to greater focus and, in the end, success. The fact that they are considered slight underdogs even suits us for betting purposes. Thus, for Browns vs. Eagles, a tip on Cleveland is our clear betting recommendation.
Alternatively, as already mentioned, over-points are also an option. Since the oddsmakers set a very low 35.5 here, over-points should clearly be achieved – even with a somewhat clearer win for one of the teams. For Cleveland Browns vs. Philadelphia Eagles, the forecast brings odds of up to 1.91.
