Browns vs Broncos Betting Preview

Week Seven of the NFL season opens with a Thursday night clash between the Denver Broncos and Cleveland Browns. Both teams are nursing losing streaks and will be desperate to get back on the right track. At home, the Browns are listed as 3.5-point favorites with an over/under of 42.5 points.

Denver’s 3-0 start to the season has quickly turned the other way with the Broncos losing three in a row. It’s worth noting that their three wins have come against the Giants, Jaguars, and Jets, all teams with just one win this season. On the other hand, they’ve faced some difficult games in recent weeks, losing to the Ravens, Steelers, and Raiders, doing Cleveland no favors by losing to two other AFC North teams.

As for the Browns, they’ve started to fall apart after starting 3-1. Cleveland has lost back-to-back games, albeit against the Chargers and still-unbeaten Cardinals. The Browns risk falling into last place in the AFC North if they lose on Thursday and are already two games behind first-place Baltimore.

A Little Banged Up

Injuries are the biggest thing holding the Browns back right now. Cleveland’s top-ranked rushing attack will be without Kareem Hunt on Thursday with Nick Chubb also likely to miss a second straight game. To make matters worse, Baker Mayfield is hoping to play through an injury to his non-throwing shoulder while multiple offensive linemen are battling injuries as well.

Naturally, those injuries shift a lot of pressure to the Cleveland defense, which has had a couple of rough outings lately. The Browns have given up 84 points over their last two games, albeit against a pair of potent offensive teams in the Chargers and Cardinals. The Cleveland defense is also averaging three sacks per game led by eight from Myles Garrett, so the Browns can be dangerous when playing with a lead.

Steady Downfall

After such a promising start to the season, the Denver offense has been on the decline for three straight weeks. Teddy Bridgewater has been sacked 16 times this season and taken so many hits that he missed most of the team’s loss to Baltimore and is currently battling a foot injury. The Broncos have also seen Bridgewater throw four interceptions over the last two weeks, taking away opportunities to win close games.

Meanwhile, the Denver defense looks good on paper, allowing just 18.3 points per game. But with the offense sputtering, the Broncos have allowed an average of 28 points per game over their last three games. Without a lead, Denver’s pass rush has been neutralized and shifted all of the pressure onto the team’s secondary.

War of Attrition

Unfortunately, this game could come down to what team is better able to deal with their injuries. The Browns need to find a way to run the ball without Hunt and Chubb so that they don’t have to ask an ailing Mayfield to do too much. At the same time, the Broncos will be worried about protecting a banged-up Bridgewater from a Cleveland pass rush that could be vicious if the Browns get a lead.