Two former college teammates and former top overall draft picks square off when Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals visit Cleveland to take on Baker Mayfield at the Browns. Murray won the Heisman Trophy in 2018 and is a top candidate for MVP through five games, as he has the Cardinals a 5-0 record — their first 5-0 start since 1974. The Cardinals are the only unbeaten team remaining in the NFL. The Browns (3-2) hung 42 on the Los Angeles Chargers a week ago — but they gave up 47, as their normally solid defense melted down against Justin Herbert. Can the Browns get back to winning, or will Arizona get the road win and stay perfect?
Read our thoughts before you lock in your NFL betting for the weekend.
NFL Preview: Arizona Cardinals at Cleveland Browns (Sunday, October 17)
When: Sunday, October 21, 2020, 4:05 pm ET
Where: FirstEnergy Field, Cleveland
TV: FOX
Radio: KMVP 98.7 FM Phoenix / WKNR 850 AM Cleveland
Live Stream: Hulu
NFL Odds: Cleveland -3 / O/U 49.5 // Cleveland -180 / Arizona +155
Why should you bet on the Cardinals?
Arizona is putting up 31.4 points per game, fourth best in the NFL. The key this year is their defense, as they permit only 19.0 points per game. That differential (+12.4) is second in the league, trailing only Buffalo, who has benefited from huge shutouts over Miami and Houston. The pass rush, with J.J. Watt on board, gets after opposing quarterbacks and was able to shut down the vaunted Rams’ offense last time out.
Murray has completed at least 70 percent of his passes in four consecutive games and has accounted for 13 touchdowns (10 through the air) and has the fourth best aggregate passer rating in the league (113.0). He has DeAndre Hopkins (312 receiving yards, 4 scores) and A.J. Green running routes, along with rookie Rondale Moore, and with those choices, the Cardinals have put together one of the most high-flying offenses in the league.
Why should you put your money on the Browns?
Both of Cleveland’s losses have come on the road, and they have come amid defensive meltdowns. The Browns led Kansas City in the fourth quarter in Week 1 but could not hold on, and they also lost to the Chargers when Justin Herbert led a comeback drive. Cleveland got 305 yards, two scores and a 122.5 passer rating out of Baker Mayfield last week, but it was not enough to overcome those defensive problems. The Cardinals have an offense that is just as threatening, but Cleveland has been a different team defensively at home.
The tailback duo of Nick Chubb (523 yards, second in the NFL) and Kareem Hunt (five rushing TD’s, second in the NFL) should help Cleveland establish a slower, more controlled rhythm to the game. On defense, Myles Garrett leads the league with 7.0 sacks. Against the Chargers, Garrett was one of the few starters left on defense due to a number of injuries. That continues this week, as Cleveland has 17 players on the injury report as of Wednesday, including nine non-participants. Chubb and Hunt were both on that list, as was Garrett. We will see who the Browns are able to roll out on Sunday.
Final Score and Betting Prediction
With the Browns missing so many top defenders, it’s hard to pick them to slow down the Arizona offense. Even if the Cardinals are a bit complacent with a 5-0 record, they have the offense — and the defense — to take advantage of mistakes and turn this into a win. I predict a final score of Arizona 27, Cleveland 23.
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