Even though the NFL could use a help on Thursday nights, this past Thursday the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens delivered a contest that was far from entertaining. The final score was 28-7 and it’s doubtful that many online NFL betting fans tuned in for the entirety of the game. Going into halftime, the Browns had the lead after 30 minutes of football that perfectly describes the NFL’s problems in 2016; a half of dull, uneventful, dispassionate football. But a surge in the second half of the game guaranteed a Baltimore win, and left many wondering if the Cleveland Browns will finish the season without a win.
After their loss against the Ravens, Cleveland has amassed some of the worst numbers in the league. Heading into Week 11, the Browns have the 31st worst rushing defense, the 23rd worst passing defense, and the 31st worst total defense. At the same time Cleveland is also giving up the 31st most amount of points with an average of 30.1 points allotted per game. With those kinds of numbers, football betting sites have had no choice but to adjust their odds and peg the Cleveland Browns as the vast underdog no matter whom they face. With such terrible defense, is there anyone left on the Browns’ schedule that they could possibly beat?
Of the 6 opponents the Browns have left on their schedule, only one has a winning record, the New York Giants. They’ll have to face the Steelers twice, since they haven’t faced them all year, and Cleveland will also be serving its Bye Week in Week 13 so it can’t possibly get a win that week. But the three other teams the Browns will have to face aren’t exactly mediocre; the Buffalo Bills, the San Diego Chargers, and the Cincinnati Bengals. Not one of those three teams has been overly impressive, but the online NFL betting odds will peg them all as favorites against the Browns. All of the aforementioned teams are capable of putting points on the board, especially against a defense as unchallenging as the Browns. It’ll be up to the Browns offense to lead this team to a victory, but will they be able to overcome the struggles they’ve had at the quarterback position?
The Browns have had 5 different starting quarterbacks this season. Thursday night they played both Cody Kessler and Josh McCown but neither one was able to get anything going, albeit McCown practically lost the game for them. Hue Jackson, the Browns’ head coach, pulled rookie Kessler with 9:36 left in the third and the Browns trailing 13-7. McCown came into the game and caused three turnovers, paving the way for a 28-7 loss. Inarguably, online NFL betting fans that picked a Browns’ upset are livid at Jackson’s decision. The Browns had a legitimate chance to win the game. Sure their offense was sputtering, but there was plenty of football left to play. Ultimately, the head coach should’ve shown more faith in his rookie, the player who will be the future of this team, not some veteran who ended up handing the Browns another loss.
