The Cleveland Browns (7-7) are still in the thick of the playoff race, with a shot both at the AFC North title and a wild card, despite losing at home to Las Vegas on Monday afternoon, in a game moved back two days due to a COVID-19 outbreak on the Browns’ roster. Neither Baker Mayfield nor Case Keenum could get cleared for the start, so the offense was still led by Nick Mullens, most recently seen filling in for the San Francisco 49ers during their injury woes a few seasons back. The Browns lost on a last-second field goal and now find themselves heading to Green Bay facing an almost must-win against the Packers (11-3). Green Bay has won three in a row, starting with a home win over the Rams in a barnburner and continuing after the bye with a home win over Chicago and a squeaker of a win in Baltimore. The Packers have permitted at least 28 points in each of their last four games and now face an opportunistic Browns offense.
Check out our NFL betting thoughts on this interconference matchup.
NFL Preview: Cleveland Browns at Green Bay Packers (Saturday, December 25)
When: Saturday, December 25, 2021, 4:30 pm ET
Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
TV: NFL Network / FOX
Radio: Sirius XM
Live Stream: Hulu
NFL Odds: Green Bay -7 / O/U 44.5 // Green Bay -360 / Cleveland +285
Why should you bet on the Browns?
The Browns were able to stay right with Las Vegas on Monday, taking a late lead. However, the defense could not keep the Raiders from moving into field goal range, and Daniel Carlson nailed a game-winning kick to give the Raiders the two-point win. The Browns also had head coach Kevin Stefanski on the COVID-19 list, as well as multiple contributors at a variety of positions. Mayfield should return for the Packers game, and some rest might have been just what he needed after a number of injuries have affected his play this season.
Cleveland has a little bit more on the line here, as the Packers have already clinched a postseason berth, while the Browns are still fighting for their playoff lives. Green Bay still has some work to do in order to snag the top seed (and the bye through the wild card round), but given some of the other teams in play, the Packers don’t come to the field with nearly the same urgency. Aaron Rodgers will bring the same chip on his shoulder, though, something that he and Baker Mayfield definitely share.
Why should you put your money on the Packers?
While Green Bay’s defense has sputtered for the last four games, the offense has been prolific, breaking the 30-point barrier in each of those contests. Aaron Rodgers is hot in the pocket right now, dropping passes right on top of wide receivers running covered routes. The running game led by Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon softens up opposing defenses, making it easier for Rodgers to come on and deliver balls at just the right time.
The Browns have performed even worse for sports bettors than they have for their fans in recent weeks; they had lost against the spread for four straight games before covering against the Raiders by a half-point. They have two wins straight up in those five games, but the combined margin of those wins has been five points. For the 2021 season, they are 6-8 against the spread.
Final Score and Betting Prediction
Occasionally, Cleveland flips the script in a crucial road game and picks up a must-needed win. We saw this in the wild-card playoff game last year against Pittsburgh, and we saw it in a rout of Cincinnati on the road earlier this season. The Browns have more to play for, and they should have plenty of spite to motivate them after seeing the league force them onto the field missing a good percentage of their playmakers. I like the Browns to come away with a 24-23 win.
Cleveland Browns at Green Bay Packers: Bet the Game Today
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