The Baltimore Ravens, who are +1,800 to win Super Bowl 53, need only to defeat the Cleveland Browns this coming Sunday in order to secure the AFC North title for the first time since 2012. Beating the Browns used to be an easy task, but it’s different now, with Baker Mayfield transforming the team’s mentality and culture. The Browns are looking to end the year with an over .500 winning record which is a huge achievement when compared to last winless season. For this reason alone fan and bettor interest is high. Read on for a preview of this intriguing matchup below.
The Browns are not going to the playoffs, but boy, they are hot. Cleveland has won all of its last three games and four of its last five. Last Sunday, the Browns defeated the Cincinnati Bengals at home, 26-18, to ensure that that they are not going to finish last in the AFC North for the first time since 2011. It’s been that kind of season for the Browns. Of course, they will end their year with a huge statement if they can take down the Baltimore Ravens on the road in the regular season finale. The Browns have already beaten Baltimore before, eking out a 12-9 overtime win in Week 5 on the road. In that game, Baker Mayfield passed for a touchdown and an interception with 342 passing yards on 25-of-43 completions. Mayfield is better now though with more confidence in his game. On the season, the rookie out of Oklahoma has 3,349 passing yards and 24 touchdowns against 11 interceptions.
The Browns are 6-4 against the spread (ATS) in their last 10 road games.
Betting on the Baltimore Ravens (9-6)
Like the Browns, Baltimore is peaking right now. The Ravens have gone 5-1 SU in their last six games, a stretch that includes their fantastic 22-10 road win against the Los Angeles Chargers last week in which Baltimore showed how capable its defense is in shutting down one of the top offenses in the league. In that game, the Ravens held Philip Rivers down to only 181 passing yards and zero touchdowns. They intercepted him twice and sacked for times for a loss of 34 yards. If they could make life that hard for Rivers, who’s to say the Ravens can’t do that to Mayfield, whom they had sacked five times in the first meeting. The Ravens have the top defense in the NFL. They allow only 17.5 points and 284.1 total yards per game. They also let opponents convert only 58.69 percent of passes – the lowest in the entire league.
The Ravens are 2-0 ATS in their last two home games against Cleveland.
