Falcons Vs Browns Predictions
Atlanta Falcons (4-4 SU, 3-5 ATS) vs. Cleveland Browns (2-6-1 SU, 5-4 ATS)
NFL Football Week 10
Date and Time: Sunday, November 11th, 1:00pm EST
Where: FirstEnergy Stadium - Cleveland, OH
TV: FOX
By Bob Clark, NFL Football Handicapper, Predictem.com
Point Spread: ATL -4/CLE +4
Over/Under Total: 51
POWER RATINGS – WEEK 10:
ATLANTA FALCONS -8
Free Cleveland Browns vs Atlanta Falcons betting tips - NFL predictions 2018-11-11 18:00:00. Stats comparison, H2H, odds, American football analysis from our experts. Watch the game highlights from the Week 10 matchup between the Atlanta Falcons vs. Cleveland Browns. Watch the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers highlights from Super Bowl LV. Browns Week 10 preview NFL Playbook The 'NFL Playbook' crew previews the upcoming matchup between the Atlanta Falcons and Cleveland Browns in.
TAKEAWAYS FROM WEEK 9
I was actually able to watch both of these teams closely over the past weekend and I took away a few things. First off, the Falcons are BACK! Many experts had them as not only the favorite to win the NFC South but a few major outlets had them as the favorite to win the Super Bowl which consequently will be held in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The offense is still firing on all cylinders, Matt Ryan is putting up even better numbers than he did in 2016 (the year he won league MVP) and…wait for it…the Falcons young and banged up defense is actually starting to get some stops and make some plays. With the way New Orleans is rolling right now, I find it extremely difficult for Atlanta to win the NFC South, but the entire NFC will be on alert if this team battles back to take one of the Wild Card spots come January. As for the Browns, a few weeks ago I was very high on them. Not high in them being a contender, but high on them improving and becoming respectable. Well as everyone knows they are now rolling with a new O.C. and Gregg Williams is now acting as head coach. Against the Kansas City Chiefs, the offense had some success with Baker Mayfield passing for almost 300 yards and two touchdowns but the defense had trouble getting stops…however, most NFL defenses are having trouble stopping the Chiefs attack. With that said, this coming weekend will not be much different and the Browns better tighten up on D if they think they can hang with Atlanta.
HOW THE PUBLIC IS BETTING ATLANTA AND CLEVELAND:
As it stands, Sportsbooks have the Atlanta Falcons are a four point favorite on the road against Cleveland. As of Tuesday morning a whopping 72% of the action was on the Falcons to cover on the road which means this line will shift. If this trend of betting keeps up, I think we can be looking at a seven or eight point line by kickoff. I am not saying just yet that my pick is Atlanta but if you are convinced to take the Dirty Birds…bet them NOW before you end up giving up more points later in the week.
THE HISTORICALS:
These two teams rarely play each other and dating back to 1978 they have only faced off ten times while the series itself dates back to 1966. Remember before a certain year, those games could actually be considered games against the Baltimore Ravens since the original Browns franchise moved and they were left without a team for a few seasons. Regardless of that, the Browns hold an 11-3 record against Atlanta but lets not forget that over the last decade, the tide has turned and Atlanta has been the more consistent winner while Cleveland has been a dumpster fire as of late. What I am really trying to say here is keep history out of this because both franchises are in very different places than they were in the past.
INURY CONCERNS:
Other than the guys on each team that sit on the IR that we already knew about, there is no major injury news although both teams have a few players who are listed as “Day to Day.” The reports I am hearing sounds as if they will all play and no new injuries will have any major impact come Sunday.
WHEN ATLANTA HAS THE BALL:
On offense, the Falcons just need to keep doing what they are doing. This team is clicking and Matt Ryan is having one of the best seasons of his career so far. Atlanta comes into this game ranked 2nd in the league in passing. They are also piling on another 90+ yards a game on the ground. It is obvious the run game is not their strong suit (although they ran for 154 against Washington this past Sunday) and they will again rely heavily on the pass. Even on first downs this season, Atlanta is throwing the ball 58% of the time. Matt Ryan is getting everyone involved and if this Cleveland defense cannot find a way to disrupt Ryan in the pocket, he will pick them apart and continue his success. The Falcons game plan: Pass, Pass, Pass, PAT, Pass….then Pass again. They are almost making it look too easy right now.
WHEN CLEVELAND HAS THE BALL:
The Browns are going to have to hope the Falcons defense that showed up against New Orleans and Cincinnati comes this weekend. If that is the case, they have a shot. From a Browns perspective though, they must, must, must keep the Atlanta offense off the field. Cleveland will need to give Atlanta a huge dose of Nick Chubb and Duke Johnson and just hope for the best. They need to shorten this game and milk as much time as they can off the clock. If they get in a shootout with Atlanta, that will not end well. Currently, the Cleveland Browns offense ranks 9th in the NFL in rushing…they need to continue their success. That was the Redskins plan last week and the Atlanta front stopped the run and ran away with the game. The Browns O-Line will need to play better and at least let Cleveland sustain long drives to shorten the game.
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Sometimes I like looking at past trends and numbers or what have you, but then there are just games that I go 100% on logic, the eye test, and on paper. This Atlanta team is rolling right now and they are going to be hard to stop. They have won three straight while Cleveland has dropped their last four in a row. There is no trend here…Atlanta is just better, much better, and they will show it come Sunday.
WEATHER REPORT:
The weather favors Cleveland seeing as how we are looking at about a 50% chance of scattered showers while the temperatures are expected to be a high of 44 and a low of 33 during game time. This may slow down the Falcons on offense but will it be enough for Cleveland to actually pull off the upset?
Bob’s Pick to Cover the Point Spread: I think the Atlanta Falcons keep rolling and win this game with ease. I like a bit of a lower scoring game from Atlanta, but I think the defense keeps Mayfield and company in check. Atlanta wins and covers this game 24-16 on Sunday.
NFL Picks
The New York Giants (5-8) will take on the Cleveland Browns (9-4) this Sunday night at MetLife Stadium in a game with significant playoff implications.
Experts are leaning heavily towards Cleveland this week — 8:2 — with most of those expecting a one-score game.
How does the Giants Wire staff see this Week 15 battle shaking out? Here’s a look at our picks and score predictions:
Dan Benton: Browns 27, Giants 23
Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
There’s a reason this game got flexed to Sunday night — it promises to be a good one between two teams battling for playoff spots despite the various issues and absences on both sides. Each of these teams’ games tend to end within one score, and there’s no reason to believe that will change here. These two will go back and forth all night but in the end, Cleveland will walk away victorious.
*Above prediction was also printed in USA TODAY Sports Weekly alongside a full game preview. Print editions are available every Wednesday at newsstands everywhere.
John Fennelly: Browns 27, Giants 13
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
The fun is over for the Giants. The Daniel Jones injuries have killed the season. It doesn’t look like Jones will play, and if he does, he’ll be a relegated to being a pocket passer which is a death knell for this Giant offense. They will need to score points in this game.
The Browns are soaring, coming off two consecutive 40-point games. Maybe Freddie Kitchens can conjure up some magic against his old team. With Jones hobbled, or out, it is difficult to see that happening.
Doug Rush: Giants 21, Browns 19
Jeff Gross/Getty Images
The Giants’ backs are against the wall here. James Bradberry is out and Daniel Jones will likely be on the sidelines for this game. But that might be needed. Jones wasn’t effective against the Arizona Cardinals, so having Colt McCoy play could be a good thing.
Sure, McCoy might not air it out like Jones can and might not be able to run, but he’ll manage the game well. Plus the last time McCoy saw the field as a starter, he took an 11-point underdog and won on the road.
The Giants looked off against the Cardinals, but they didn’t quit. And they won’t quit here with the Browns coming into town.
Call this a crazy pick, but so be it. The Giants find a way to knock off Cleveland on Sunday night.
Tyler Henry: Browns 24, Giants 18
Frederick Breedon/Getty Images
Following the Giants’ win against the Seattle Seahawks, I was very confident about New York’s chances against the Browns thinking it was a favorable matchup. A lot has changed since then.
I have been going back and forth on this game all week long. With the loss of James Bradberry due to COVID-19, this one might be a little tougher than anticipated.
The Giants lost both Bradberry and Jason Garrett late in the week limiting the time they had to prepare for Sunday without them.
With the Browns coming off an emotional shootout this past Monday night, I think the slightly longer rest for Big Blue could give them a chance in this matchup. Ultimately, between the injuries and the Browns playing well as of late this one is going to be a tough one for the Giants to win.
I think the Giants score late to cut it to a one game deficit but I can see this game getting away from Big Blue early.
Kevin Hickey: Browns 23, Giants 18
Rob Carr/Getty Images
It wasn’t a great showing for the Giants last week, mostly because the offensive line was a revolving door and Daniel Jones probably shouldn’t have been playing on a bum hamstring. He’s now dealing with an ankle injury so there’s doubt he will play.
The Browns are likely going to control the line of scrimmage with their offensive line and run game featuring the best running back duo in the league.
With Colt McCoy under center if Jones doesn’t play, it’s tough to see the Giants pulling this one out unless the defense can force several turnovers against Baker Mayfield.
Mike Moraitis: Browns 27, Giants 17
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
The Giants already had to worry about keeping the Browns’ elite ground game in check, but with James Bradberry out, defending against Cleveland’s passing attack might be a bigger concern.
It isn’t clear what version of Daniel Jones will show up (if he shows up at all), and the Giants will also have to overcome the young quarterback likely playing at less than 100 percent and having a different offensive coordinator calling the plays.
There’s just too much to have to topple for the Giants to win this game, so the Browns roll to their 10th win of the season.
Jeevan Kirkland: Browns 27, Giants 17
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Bucs Vs Falcons Predictions
This Browns team is a very different team from Cleveland teams of the past. While they are not quite world beaters yet, they do one thing that Browns teams in the past have not done: They beat the teams they are supposed to. Cleveland has zero losses to sub-.500 teams.
The Giants are a team with a losing record, standing at 5-8. This Cleveland team will be ready to beat them and coming off a painful loss against the Cardinals it is unknown if the Giants will be equally prepared.
To make matters worse, Giants’ star cornerback James Bradberry is going to miss the league due to his placement on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. The combination of his and potentially Daniel Jones’ absence makes it an uphill battle for the Giants to be able to win this game
Vikings Vs Falcons Predictions
Pat Ragazzo: Browns 27, Giants 10
Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
The Giants took a big risk starting franchise quarterback Daniel Jones on a bad hamstring last week — and it ultimately backfired as he suffered a sprained left ankle — putting his status for Sunday’s contest against the Cleveland Browns in doubt. This means veteran Colt McCoy will likely get his second start of the season, while tight ends coach Freddie Kitchens must step up and call plays against his former team after offensive coordinator Jason Garrett tested positive for COVID-19.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Giants will be without their top cornerback in James Bradberry, who was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list after coming in close contact with someone from outside the organization, who tested positive. Without Bradberry, Garrett, and likely no Jones, the Giants face a tough task against the 9-4 Browns on Sunday Night Football as they try to keep pace in the NFC East sitting a game behind the Washington Football Team.
The Giants were able to pull off an upset over the Seattle Seahawks in Week 13 by running the ball and playing great defense. Unfortunately, without Bradberry, this creates a gaping hole in their secondary. The hope is that they will be able to get the running game going this week, but the Browns will be keying on it.
Don’t expect to see the Giants pull off another upset with McCoy at the helm. The Browns will put up 27 points, and the Giants will scratch across just 10.