Browns vs Chargers Betting Odds and Picks – Moneyline, Spread, and Total Predictions
- The Chargers are two-point home favorites over the Browns on Sunday
- Perrotto Betting Record: 1-0 ML; 2-0 ATS; +3.0 units
- The odds and lines can be found below with a prediction
Two rising powers in the AFC with 3-1 records meet when the Cleveland Browns visit the Los Angeles Chargers at 4:05 p.m. ET Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
The Browns have won three games in a row since losing to the Kansas City Chiefs on the road in Week 1. The Chargers have won back-to-back games.
The game will be televised to part of the country by CBS and the Chargers are small favorites.
Browns vs Chargers Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Browns | +105 | +2 (-110) | Over 47 (-110) |
| Los Angeles Chargers | -125 | -2 (-110) | Under 47 (-110) |
Odds as of October 9th at DraftKings.
The Chargers opened as 1.5-point favorites and the line has gone up slightly. It is expected a sunny Sunday afternoon with a high temperature of 78 degrees and wind from the east at 5-10 mph.
Winning Ways
The Browns ground out a 14-7 victory over the Vikings on the road last weekend. The Chargers built a 21-0 halftime lead at home and downed the Las Vegas Raiders 28-14 on Monday Night Football.
Cleveland’s defense gave Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins problems as he threw his first interception of the season – the first pick of cornerback Greedy Williams’ career – and sacked him twice.
Greedy Williams : 6 tackles & an INT (1st career INT in his 3rd season) pic.twitter.com/WEDogMDBVx
— Lee Harvey (@AyeThatsLee) October 3, 2021
Justin Herbert thew three touchdown passes to lead the Chargers. Austin Ekeler rushed for a career-high 117 yards and scored twice.
The teams last met in 2018 with the Chargers rolling to a 38-14 victory in Week 6 at Cleveland.
QBs in Different Directions
While Herbert and Browns counterpart Baker Mayfield have led their teams to three wins in four games, they are coming off disparate performance.
Herbert completed 25 of 38 passes for 225 yards against the Raiders without being picked off. Mayfield connected on just 15 of his 33 attempts for 155 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.
Justin Herbert looking ready for the Chargers' MNF matchup vs. the Raiders ⚡️
📺: ESPN & @ESPNDeportes pic.twitter.com/qEq5Evw1LQ
— ESPN (@espn) October 4, 2021
Through four games, Herbert, last year’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, has completed 68.9% of his passes for 1,178 yards and nine touchdowns with three picks.
Mayfield’s completion percentage is just 53.1% the last two weeks after connecting on 81% of his passes combined in Weeks 1 and 2. It was revealed this week Mayfield is playing with a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder, but he insists the injury is not affecting his throwing.
Baker Mayfield highlight reel: Week 4 pic.twitter.com/GyYuZZXzDr
— McNeil (@Reflog_18) October 3, 2021
Both teams play the pass well. The Browns are third in the NFL in pass defense and the Chargers are fifth.
Cook is Cooking
Herbert has found a reliable safety valve in veteran tight end Jared Cook, who was signed as a free agent in the offseason.
Cook had six catches for 70 and a touchdown last week. His biggest reception was for 13 yards and four-and-two at midfield in the fourth quarters with the Chargers clinging to a 21-14 lead.
Chargers are feelin' it early ⚡️
Jared Cook Any Time TD: +250
(via @NFL) | #BoltUp pic.twitter.com/aVQ9hzRBKM
— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) October 5, 2021
The Chargers are a perfect 4 for 4 on fourth down this season and two of those conversions have come on passes to Cook.
Budding Star
The Browns drafted linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah in the second round this year following his standout career at Notre Dame. Some draft analysts felt he was too small to play in the NFL but the 6-foot-2, 221-pounder is proving them wrong.
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is special. #Browns pic.twitter.com/xDcXUv3gNK
— Billy Heyen (@BillyHeyen) October 3, 2021
Owusu-Koramoah’s playing time has increased the last two weeks as he has played 51% and 52% of the snaps. He has responded with eight solo tackles, three assists, a tackle for loss and two passes defensed in those games.
Injury Report
Browns offensive tackle Chris Hubbard (triceps) and cornerback Greg Newsome II (calf) will miss the game. Newsome, Cleveland’s first-round draft pick from Northwestern, has played at least 82% of the snaps in the first three games.
Chargers backup running Justin Johnson (groin) is doubtful and cornerback Chris Harris Jr. (shoulder) is questionable. Harris has not played since Week 1.
Razor-Thin Margin
Not a lot separates two franchises on the rise as the point spread indicates. However, the difference could be the Browns’ top-ranked rushing offense, featuring Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, being too much for the Chargers’ 29th-ranked run defense to handle.
The Picks: Browns +2 (-110); Over 47 (-110); Browns +105
John Perrotto has been covering and writing about sports for various outlets for over 40 years. His work has appeared in the likes of USA TODAY, ESPN.com, SI.com, Forbes.com, The Associated Press, Baseball Digest, and more. John is based out of Beaver Falls, PA.
