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NFL Win Total Matchups: Bet Whether the Browns Will Win More Games Than the Bengals

Eric Rosales

by Eric Rosales in NFL Football

Updated Dec 20, 2022 · 9:40 AM PST

Baker Mayfield and the Browns
The Cleveland Browns 2019 Win total is 9, a number they haven't hit since 2007. Photo by Erik Drost (Wikimedia Commons) [CC License].
  • Baker Mayfield and the Browns are facing charged-up expectations next season
  • Aaron Rodgers will try to lead the Packers back to the playoffs after two straight misses
  • The Steelers will try to stay in the postseason mix in the stacked AFC North

There are always more questions than answers in an NFL offseason.

With the draft and free agency in the rearview mirror and training camp, veteran cuts, trades, and surprise walk-ons still on the horizon, the true shape of a team won’t really even begin to come together until a few weeks into the regular season.

But that doesn’t mean we aren’t prepared to take a stab at some NFL win totals, packaged nicely in a head-to-head format with select teams.

We’ll start in the AFC North, where we get to put our money where our mouths are, trying to figure out if all the Browns hype is legit.

NFL Win Total Matchup: Bengals vs Browns

Team Spread 2019 Record Odds
Cleveland Browns -3.0 Wins 7-8-1 -110
Cincinnati Bengals +3.0 Wins 6-10 -110

* All odds taken 06/03/19. For a the full list of win total matchup bets, click the link in the table above.

Baker Mayfield is coming off an NFL season where he threw for a rookie-record 27 touchdown passes (in 13 starts) – to a roster of mostly misfits, and a misplaced Jarvis Landry. Cleveland went big-game fishing this offseason and reeled in one of football’s best receivers in Odell Beckham Jr.

Now, the rest of offensive pieces suddenly slide into their proper roles and importance, including tight end David Njoku and Nick Chubb, with Antonio Callaway downsizing into that no. 3 receiving spot.

They’ve got budding stars on defense with edge rusher Myles Garrett and corner Denzel Ward. Toss in offseason pickups like Olivier Vernon and Sheldon Richardson, and you can see the reason for optimism.

Ohio’s other NFL team is in a transitional phase of its own. Gone is forever-mediocre head coach Marvin Lewis, and in comes young offensive-minded offensive guru du jour Zac Taylor.

Just getting the original band healthy would be a good start, as AJ Green and Andy Dalton combined to play just 20 of a possible 32 regular season games last year. His biggest challenge will be trying to get that defense to just middle-of-the-pack good. Cincy was last in the NFL in passing yards and 28th in points allowed in 2018.

Cincinnati was last in the NFL in passing yards and 28th in points allowed in 2018.

The NFL strength of schedule lists the Browns with the third easiest slate (calculated through opponent projected win totals), as if you needed any more encouragement.

Pick: Browns +3.0 wins (-110)

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NFL Win Total Matchup: Lions vs Packers

Team Spread 2019 Record Odds
Green Bay Packers -2.5 Wins 6-9-1 -110
Detroit Lions +2.5 Wins 6-10 -110

New Packers head coach Matt LaFleur’s vision is to construct a complete roster so that stud QB Aaron Rodgers can lead his team to wins instead of dragging them to the finish line with superhuman efforts.

That begins on defense, with imports like Adrian Amos and the Smiths (Za’Darius and Preston) teaming with the best young secondary in football to hold up their end of the bargain. Rodgers has to bounce back, even though 4,442 yards passing, 25 TDs, and two interceptions doesn’t seem too bad.

https://twitter.com/CaseyBake16/status/1069376443963138049

With the Bears, Packers and Vikings all legitimately able to win the division, Matt Patricia’s roster still needs some work. Matt Stafford is coming off his worst season in passing yards since being a starter (3,777), tossing a pedestrian 21 TD’s to 11 interceptions. But the Patriots-Motown movement is still taking place, and drafting stud TE TJ Hockenson as the Rob Gronkowski clone helps, as did inking big-ticket defensive lineman Trey Flowers. Patience, Detroit. Your time is coming.

The Pick: Packers -2.5 wins (-110)

NFL Win Total Matchup: Steelers vs Ravens

Team Spread 2019 Record Odds
Pittsburgh Steelers -0.5 Wins 9-6-1 -125
Baltimore Ravens +0.5 Wins 10-6 +105

No matter how strong you are at roster construction (and the Steelers are among the best), losing two of the current best skill players at their respective positions is going to sting.

Yes, the Steelers managed without Le’Veon Bell all of last year, but now he and Antonio Brown are gone, and a promising defense likely won’t have the security blanket of its usual potent-scoring offense. Ben Roethlisberger’s ability to make plays will keep them in games, but this team’s Super Bowl window may have already closed.

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson had quite the breakout year in leading the Ravens to the division crown, but then he was badly exposed by the Chargers in a playoff loss. While Jackson works on his pocket passing and chemistry with first-round pick WR Marqise Brown, the Ravens went ahead and strengthened their potent running game by adding veteran ground-and-pounder Mark Ingram.

The addition of Seahawks legend Earl Thomas will bolster their secondary and anchor a defense that always seems to be competitive.

The Pick: Ravens +0.5 wins (+105)

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