It wasn’t quite the start the Cleveland Browns were looking for after all the preseason hype. A sexy pick to produce a winning record for the first time since 2007 and compete for the NFC North crown, the Brownies were humbled in last week’s loss. It wasn’t ideal for the New York Jets either, and they could have more problems now that Sam Darnold has been ruled out. The news affected the line with current NFL odds putting Cleveland as a 6.5-point favorite for the Week 2 Monday Night Football matchup at MetLife Stadium. The game will air on ESPN at 8:20 p.m. ET.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Cleveland Browns -6.5
New York Jets +6.5
Over/Under 44
Cleveland at New York Jets Odds Analysis
It’s hard to tell which team was more disappointing in Week 1. The Browns were a 5.5-point favorite and lost by 30 to Tennessee. The Jets couldn’t hold a 16-0 lead against Buffalo and fell 17-16 as a 2.5-point fave. Cleveland opened as a 2.5-point favorite and with Darnold out indefinitely, the spread was wagered to -6.5. We also saw the total tumble now that Trevor Siemian is at the helm for the Jets. The number dropped to 44 from its opening of 45.5. Cleveland ended a 19-game winless streak by beating the Jets, 21-17, last season, covering the 3-point spread.
Cleveland Odds
Picked by some to win the AFC North after a busy offseason, the Browns stumbled in their opener. They scored first, but were sloppy and undisciplined throughout in the 43-13 pasting. It wasn’t what fans and pundits were expecting, but it’s early. The Browns were a good bet last season going 10-6 against the spread with one of those victories over the Jets, a game they also won straight up to snap a 19-game winless skid. Maybe the Browns read the press clippings and need a slice of humble pie. Or maybe they’re not as great as people want to believe.
New York Jets Odds
Not only did the Jets lose a winnable game last week, they are now without Darnold, who’s been sidelined indefinitely with a case of mono. And that’s not the only bad news. A season with so much promise after a number of high-profile off-season acquisitions is now about to go off the rails before it even started. It began when the Jets surrendered 17 unanswered points in a loss to Buffalo. Darnold is out, Quincy Enunwa went on IR and Le’Veon Bell is nursing a sore shoulder. The Jets closed as a 2.5-point favorite and dropped to 5-11-1 ATS since the start of last season. Can Trevor Siemian keep the Jets afloat? He’s 13-11 in his career as a starter, but he hasn’t played in a game since late in the 2017 campaign.
Key Trends and Stats
Injuries are a part of football, but when you’re franchise QB goes down the atmosphere changes. Darnold is the face of the Jets and was expected to have a huge improvement in Year 2 with a rebuilt roster and an offensive-minded coach. He wasn’t awful last week completing 28 of 41 attempts for 175 yards and a touchdown. But when the Jets needed some points to stem the tide, they failed on their final four possessions with two punts, a turnover on downs and a lost fumble. The Browns weren’t much better. All their playmaking talent can’t do much if the offensive line doesn’t improve. The group allowed five sacks and Baker Mayfield was pressured into a number of bad throws resulting in three picks. The Browns also committed a whopping 18 penalties for 182 yards, ouch.
Last Meeting
It was a glorious time for the Browns, who snapped a 19-game winless skid by handing the Jets a Week 3, 21-17, loss on Thursday night last year. That was the debut of Mayfield, who came off the bench for an injured Tyrod Taylor and directed four scoring drives as the Browns overcame a 14-0 deficit to win for the first time in 635 days. Mayfield completed 17 of 23 for 201 yards in a little more than a half of football. He hasn’t taken a seat since. In a rare occurrence the Browns were favored by 3-points, just the second time they gave points since late in the 2015 season. Cleveland covered, though the teams played below the closing total of 41 points.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
