Cleveland Browns vs Kansas City Chiefs Betting Preview, Odds, Picks

Cleveland Browns head to Kansas City to face the Chiefs. This AFC match-up goes down on Sunday afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium. The game starts at 4:25 PM ET, making it a late afternoon game. As the first game of the season, this one should be pretty entertaining.

It's Mayfield vs. Mahomes in what could be a future AFC Championship game. However, the question isn't all about who's going to win, but who will cover the spread. The Browns come in as the underdog here by 6.5-points. Before you make your pick, read on to see what each team will bring to Sunday's game. 

Mayfield looks to prove himself against Mahomes

The Cleveland Browns had a spectacular 2020 season, finishing with a record of 11-5. However, they fell short in the playoffs when they faced the Chiefs in the Divisional round. The slim 22-17 loss is a bitter taste in the Browns' mouth that they'll look to wash out. They can do that by getting a win over the Chiefs to start the season.

The Cleveland Browns went 8-8 against the spread last season. Pretty average, but they played a lot of competitive teams last season. Starting 2021 against the Chiefs is rough, as the Chiefs look to return to the Superbowl. The good news is the Browns are 4-1 ATS in their last five games on the road. Hopefully, that will help them when they head to Kansas City.

Cleveland isn't the only team looking forward to 2021

The Kansas City Chiefs were the Superbowl winners in 2019, and they looked set to win another in 2020. That was until they ran into Tom Brady and the Buccaneers. Before the playoffs, the Chiefs finished with a 14-2 record and looked like the best in the league. The offense was firing on all cylinders, and the defense held up their end. In the Superbowl, the Chiefs had the worst offensive performance since Mahomes took over. They lost the game 31-9 and were sent packing.

Although their straight-up record was great, the Chiefs' record against the spread was awful. They only covered 7 of 16 games in 2020, making them unreliable at the sportsbook. It was an uncharacteristic year for the Chiefs that they hope to put behind them. Remember that in their last five games at home against Cleveland, they've only covered the spread once. Be sure to take that into account when making your pick.

What the spread says

Currently, the Cleveland Browns come in as the underdog, and many predict the Chiefs to win and cover the spread. We can't always take what the analysts say as fact; there are questions that surround Kansas City at the sportsbook. We'll have to take into consideration that the Browns did a lot of work in the offseason.

They picked up some good defensive players in the NFL Draft. They're also familiar with the Chiefs' offense, so they've probably got a good game plan. The Chiefs are also a team that has made some moves in the offseason, including loading up on tight ends. They added more protection for Mahomes as well. Just remember, whoever you pick only has less than a touchdown of coverage.