The Bengals keep finding ways to win and remained unbeaten while increasing their lead in the AFC North with a comeback win at Pittsburgh. The Browns just keep losing, falling for a third straight time Sunday, and the scary part is they show no signs of bottoming out. Cincinnati covered the spread again last weekend and is 6-0-1 ATS, the only team without an ATS loss.
ODDS
The line opened at Cincinnati -10.5 with a total of 47.5. The Bengals are 6-0-1 ATS this season while Cleveland has lost three straight SU going 1-2 ATS in those games. The line was wagered down to -10 and the line fell to 46.5.
KEY INJURIES
Joe Haden – Suffered an apparent concussion Sunday and is questionable to play on Thursday. He had missed the previous two games with a concussion but was cleared to practice mid-week. One play after Haden was injured the Browns lost starting safety Donte Whitner, who also was apparently concussed. Johnson Bademosi replaced Whitner.
Rey Maualuga – Left Sunday’s game with a first quarter calf injury and didn’t return. He is questionable for Thursday’s matchup with Cleveland. Vontaze Burfict and A.J. Hawk were used in a rotation to replace the Bengals’ starting middle linebacker.
KEY MISMATCH
The Bengals improved to 7-0 for the first time in team history thanks to another comeback drive by quarterback Andy Dalton. After throwing two picks early in the second half, including one in the end zone to stop a promising drive, Dalton tossed a nine-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Green with just under three minutes left that gave Cincinnati its first lead of the game. The Bengals used a mix of runs and passes on their final drive to spark the comeback. They seemed hesitant running the ball going into the final series but used running back Giovani Bernard for a big gain out of the backfield to put the offense in position for the go-ahead score. The Steelers shut down Cincy’s run game, forcing Dalton to beat them. And he did. Fourth-quarter comeback drives are starting to become the norm for Dalton, who now has three game-winning drives this season.
KEY STAT
+3 – Cincinnati’s turnover margin. The Bengals had three takeaways Sunday in their win over Pittsburgh. Cleveland is tied for 26th in the NFL with a minus-6 turnover margin and had two giveaways in a loss to Arizona Sunday.
BETTING ANGLE
Browns quarterback Josh McCown got roughed up again in the second half against Arizona and was in obvious discomfort. McCown had a sparkling first half throwing three touchdown passes in the first 30 minutes for the first time in his career. He took a hit early in the third quarter and never seemed to recover. Despite that, the Browns would not replace him with Johnny Manziel. Among the many questions surrounding this team is what is going on with Manziel, who has not seen the field since starting against Tennessee in Week 2. The Browns are a 2-6 team relying on a 36-year-old quarterback. McCown has put up good numbers, but he also has gone 2-15 in the past two years as a starter. To not even consider playing the first-round draft pick from 2014 as the veteran plays through pain and keeps losing, makes the situation that much more puzzling.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Cincinnati came up with a big win Sunday when the offense wasn’t efficient, proving this team can win in a variety of ways. And that makes the Bengals very dangerous. A strong defensive showing against the Steelers with Ben Roethlisberger back increased Cincy’s lead in the AFC North. It’s hard to imagine a beat up McCown doing more than Big Ben, especially playing on a short week. McCown took another shot in the second half against the Cardinals and was not effective after Kevin Minter hit him. The Browns coaching staff is showing no confidence in Manziel and McCown just doesn’t have enough to carry them. Cincinnati opened as a 10.5-point favorite and that line looks manageable against a team that has no identity.
Cincinnati 29, Cleveland 13
BookMaker opened the spread for this Thursday matchup at -10.5 in favor of the Bengals. The NFL odds total surfaced at 47.5. Now you can wager in-game while the action unfolds with BookMaker's live betting option.
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The matchup between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals will take place Thursday, November 5, 2015, at 8:25 p.m. ET at Paul Brown Stadium. The matchup will be televised live on the NFL Network.
