NFL Network is the only show in town from here on out and it begins with a tough sell, the Cleveland Browns (2-6) at the Cincinnati Bengals (7-0).
Scroll on down for the live blog. Keep reading for some preview info.
First, here’s my pick from today’s Thursday Night Match Up.
The game: Cleveland at Cincinnati (-11.5)
The pick: That 11.5 points is high for a Thursday night game, but the Browns defense is so undermanned, I just don’t see how they can even slow down Andy Dalton and the Bengals. With no pass rush, you need good corners and Cleveland is playing guys that probably should be shoving sandwiches into the toasting machine at Quizno’s. Bengals 34, Browns 13
And here are my entries from this week’s Power Rankings.
3. Cincinnati Bengals – (7-0) Speaking of a Super Bowl vibe, I sincerely think the Bengals might be the best team in the AFC. They’re loaded on offense and defense and Andy Dalton just had his “worst” game of the season where he showed up at the end in the clutch and won his team the game. Last week: No. 3
26. Cleveland Browns – (2-5) Johnny Manziel gets the start this week not long after his latest bit of drama. Manziel didn’t get in trouble with the law or the team over the incident with his girlfriend, but it raises a red flag that had been folded up since he entered rehab in the offseason. Last week: No. 27
And here’s the info from our GMS preview.
Hoping to extend their undefeated record, the Cincinnati Bengals (7-0) take on the Cleveland Browns (2-6). The game will air Thursday, Nov 5 at 8:25 p.m. ET on NFLN.
The Over/Under (O/U) for the matchup is sitting at 47 points and the Browns are a big 10-point underdog.
Sitting at 7-0 Straight Up (SU) and 6-0-1 Against The Spread (ATS), the Bengals will look to improve heading into Week 9. They are averaging 29 points per game at home, fifth-best in the league. Cincinnati will look to make the running game a priority. They face a Cleveland run defense that ranks last in the league with 147 yards allowed per game. Turning to the Bengals defense, there are several areas to keep an eye on. The Browns will need to stop Cincinnati’s defense from getting to their quarterback in order to be successful in this game. The Bengals rank fifth in the league in sacks with 2.9 per game. In the first quarter, Cincinnati strikes early, putting up 7.4 points in the first 15 minutes. Cincinnati has a formidable special teams unit that averages 101.3 return yards per game, ranking fifth in the NFL.
Shifting to the opposition, the Browns head into Week 9 with records of 3-4-1 ATS and 2-6 SU. Over their last five games, the Browns have a SU record of 1-4 and a 2-2-1 record ATS. It is likely that Cleveland will continue to rely on its passing attack, where its 313.2 passing yards per road game ranks third in the league. Cleveland’s offense should seek to control the game clock this week. The team averages a time of possession of 35:12 per away game, the second-highest in the NFL.
Predictions: SU Winner – Cin, ATS Winner – Cin, O/U – Under
The game is on NFL Nework at 8:25 p.m. Watch it with me.
