Cleveland’s once-promising season is in danger of imploding after an embarrassing 30-point shutout loss to the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday. With their playoff hopes hanging in the balance, they will look for Johnny Manziel to deliver a much better performance this time around against a resurgent Carolina side that has surprisingly returned to relevance in the gross NFC South.
Read on for a complete preview of this critical showdown and while you’re at it, you can check out our complete NFL Week 16 predictions here.
[sc:Football ]
Cleveland Browns vs. Carolina Panthers Betting Preview
When: Sunday, December 21, 1:00 PM ET
Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte
Line: Cleveland Browns (+3.5) at Carolina Panthers (-3.5); total 40.5 – view all NFL lines
Betting on the Cleveland Browns
Looked like a rookie, played like a rookie.
That’s the verdict of Browns coach Mike Pettine on Johnny Manziel after the 22-year-old star got pummeled Sunday in a harrowing 30-0 defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals. Manziel completed just 10 of 18 passes for 80 yards with no touchdowns and two bad interceptions as the Browns lost further ground in the race for the AFC North title.
[sc:NFL240banner ]Manziel failed to live up to the huge expectations placed on him heading into the game. Touted as the savior of a struggling franchise, Manziel looked like more of a dud in his first start for the club as he finished with a passer rating of 27.3. His first half couldn’t have gone much worse as he completed just 4 of 9 passes for 22 yards and was intercepted twice.
The Browns finished the game with 107 total yards and were blanked for the first time since losing 16-0 to Baltimore back in 2009. All is not yet lost as the Browns still have an outside chance of reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2002.
They will need to sweep their remaining two games starting with their clash with the Carolina Panthers this coming Sunday. If they are to keep their playoff hopes afloat, they will need Manziel to play much better this time around.
Manziel was clearly affected by the Bengals’ relentless pressure on him as he was sacked three times by a towering Cincinnati defense. The Browns crossed the Bengals’ territory just once the entire 60-minute game. They will need to get their act together against a Panthers defense that is 16th in the league in total yards allowed, surrendering 351.5 yards per game.
It’s crucial for the Browns to get their running game going against a Carolina side that is 12th-worst in the league in rushing defense, allowing 117.5 YPG on the ground this season. The onus is on Terrance West (556 yards, 3 touchdowns) and Isaiah Crowell (529 yards, 8 touchdowns) to get the ball rolling. The Browns are third in the NFL in rushing touchdowns with 16 this season.
The Carolina Panthers bucked the absence of their star quarterback with a gritty 19-17 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to keep their playoff hopes very much alive with just two more games remaining in their schedule.
Despite having an atrocious 5-8-1 record, the Panthers are just a half game back of the Saints for the division lead. What made this possible was the performance of Derek Anderson. The back up quarterback stepped up big time filling in for Cam Newton who missed the game because of a back injury he suffered in a car accident Tuesday night.
Make no mistake about it, Anderson wasn’t spectacular but he was solid enough to give Carolina its second straight win. He completed 25 of 40 passes for 277 yards and a touchdown. The Panthers improved to 2-0 this season with Anderson as their starter.
One guy who’s definitely delighted that Anderson is Carolina’s starter is Greg Olsen. The tight end has been superb in Anderson’s last two starts, compiling a total of 193 receiving yards and a touchdown in those two outings.
The Panthers will need to be at their best, though, when they face the Cleveland Browns this coming Sunday. The Browns are seventh in the league in passing defense, allowing 221.9 yards per game this season.
Fortunately for the Panthers, they have a ground game that they can rely upon if their aerial attack isn’t working. They are 12th in the league in rushing offense, averaging 116.4 YPG on the ground this season. Leading the way for Carolina is Jonathan Stewart who’s managed to compile a total of 228 rushing yards and a touchdown in the Panthers’ last two victories. Stewart may be able to take advantage of Cleveland’s feeble defensive line which is allowing 137.6 yards per game on the ground this season, second-worst in the NFL.
Writer’s Prediction
The Panthers edge past the Browns in a nip-and-tuck affair.
