Denver Broncos vs Cleveland Browns Predictions, Odds, Picks TNF

• This year the 3-win Broncos have benefitted from a relatively easy start to the season
• Despite Browns DE Myles Garrett leading the league in sacks (8), they are still at .500
• Five of the Browns’ last six Thursday games have gone under the total points line

Broncos vs Browns Odds

Odds taken from Caesars Sportsbook.

This year the 3-win Broncos have benefitted from a relatively easy start to the season (Giants, Jags, and Jets) but now they face a Browns team that is equally banged up but better than them on both sides of the ball, and although Denver’s top-4 defense might keep them in the game, it’s up to quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to outscore Cleveland.

The Browns have suffered injuries to their QB Baker Mayfield (shoulder), WR Jarvis Landry (knee-MCL), almost half their offensive line, and two starting running backs – Nick Chubb (calf) and Kareem Hunt calf) – and despite Cleveland’s DE Myles Garrett leading the league in sacks (8), they are still at .500 which makes them even hungrier for a win, a tough ask on such short rest.

These two AFC rivals have met each other 30 prior times (including 3 postseason games), with the Cleveland Browns winning 6 of those games and the Denver Broncos winning 24 of the games.

Broncos vs Browns Week 7 Predictions

Can the Broncos Put Points Up Against this Strong Browns Defense?

The knock-on Cleveland’s defense is simply that they have not had many reps together since the majority of their starters on that side of the ball were acquired just this offseason, a tough process of gelling that DC Joe Woods is attempting to fast track.

Denver has a few solid playmakers on its roster – receiver Courtland Sutherland and tight end Noah Fant – and running back Melvin Gordon is no stranger to the endzone with 59 all-purpose touchdowns in his pro career, the dual-threat already with 451 yards from scrimmage in 2021.

QB Teddy Bridgewater must begin to get his other receivers involved in the offense and his front line must do a better job of protecting him than they have, the journeyman already having been sacked sixteen times on the season.

Can Browns Injured QB Baker Mayfield be Effective?

There have been several versions of Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield showing up this season, the one who almost beat the Chiefs and Chargers with accurate passing or the one who got killed by the Vikings and Cardinals who made him look like a rookie at times.

Mayfield is struggling with an ongoing injury having partially torn the labrum in his non-throwing shoulder earlier in the season and then re-injuring it last week against the Cardinals, so he must wear a brace which has affected his accuracy as he adjusts to throwing with it on.

Now Baker’s dependable front line is injured, his two tackles now questionable to play, so to beat this tough Denver defense Mayfield is going to have to make the most out of whatever line head coach Kevin Stefanski can provide.

Broncos Key Player: (TE) Noah Fant

Now in his third NFL season, Broncos tight end Noah Fant is quickly emerging as a playmaker who can block but also catch the ball when called upon, and this season he has come through big in both those ways.

So far Fant has caught 30 balls in 2021 for 273 yards and three touchdowns which is already equal to the number of times he scored in each of his first two seasons, a sign that the 6’ 4” 249 pound Iowa alum is becoming a more valuable target in the red zone.

Last week Fant averaged a season-high 10.78 yards per catch as he caught over 80 percent of the passes targeted for him for 97 yards and a touchdown, production that he must bring to Cleveland on Sunday if he hopes to help Bridgewater out of some inevitable tight jams.

Browns Key Player: (RBs) D’Ernest Johnson & Demetric Felton

The news couldn’t be much worse for the number one rushing team in the NFL, the Browns with both offensive tackles questionable and both starting running backs out with injuries – Nick Chubb (calf) and Kareem Hunt calf) – and now backs coach Stump Mitchell must come up with a backup plan fit for these Broncos.

This involves using D’Ernest Johnson the way the Browns did last season when Chubb had to sit out, the third-year back getting 33 carries for 166 yards with 3 catches for 14 yards averaging 3.7 yards per carry when he filled in.

Also having to step up is multi-purpose rookie Demetric Felton, who leads the league in punt returns (20) this season while also catching 8 balls for 90 yards and a touchdown, all moot points unless the backup offensive tackles can also step up.

How to Watch Broncos vs Browns