Browns vs Bengals Week 14: This Bengals Team Is No Joke on either Side of the Ball

• Browns have covered in each of their last 3 games against AFC North opponents

• The Cincinnati Bengals have lost each of their last five games against the Browns

• Watch Browns vs Bengals live on Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022, at 1:00 PM ET on CBS

Browns vs Bengals Week 14 Odds

POINT SPREAD: Cleveland Browns +6.0 (-110) at BetMGM

In the NFL’s Week 14 Sunday lineup, there is a fierce AFC North battle happening in southern Ohio with the 5-7 Cleveland Browns traveling south down I-71 to face the 8-4 Cincinnati Bengals, a team that the Browns have beaten in each of their last five matchups, though this Bengals team is coming off an impressive win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 13.

What this matchup will come down to is how much rust Browns QB Deshaun Watson is able to knock off before Sunday, his only NFL playing time in 707 days being last Sunday when he looked like the Tin Man on a rainy day, completing 12/22 for 131 yards and an interception in the end zone for a passer rating of 53.4, below that of defeated Texans QB Kyle Allen (53.5).

This Bengals team that will defend the Cincy stadium is no joke on either side of the ball, with QB Joe Burrow’s top-5 offense starring WRs Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd able to stretch secondaries, plus their defensive pass rush against a hesitant Browns QB Watson will include DEs Sam Hubbard and Trey Hendrickson, QB hunters to challenge Cleveland’s front.

POINTS TOTAL: Under 47 (-110) at BetRivers

According to the oddsmakers, eight of the last 10 games between the Browns and Bengals have gone over the total points line, but those games didn’t have a rusty QB Deshaun Watson under center for Cleveland, a potential factor in this game so it becomes a serious consideration for bettors interested in the game’s points total wager here in Week 14.

The record books show that these offenses can score, with the Bengals averaging 26 points per game and the Browns averaging 24.2, that total of 50.2 well over what this bet allows, whereas Cincinnati’s defense allows opponents to score 21.3 points per game, and Cleveland’s Joe Woods defense allows 25 points per game, that 46.3 total almost what the oddsmakers predict.

Injuries could be a factor for both teams in Week 14, so be sure to check the injury reports before placing your wager, right now with the Browns having 13 players on IR or OUT with three listed as questionable to play including TE David Njoku (knee), while the Bengals have seven players on IR with RB Joe Mixon (concussion) listed as questionable and TE Hayden Hurst (calf) doubtful.

SPECIAL: J. Chase 100+ Rec Yards, J. Burrow 1+ Rush TD (+900) at DraftKings

For any sports gamblers looking for something different in Week 14, DraftKings has a special that looks interesting – a bet as to whether Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase can post 100+ receiving yards against the Browns while QB Joe Burrow also rushes for a score, a type of player parlay that looks tempting given how porous Cleveland’s defense has looked at times this season.

Some research to do first – this year, Chase has posted three games with 100+ receiving yards out of the eight games in which he played, and Burrow has rushed for five TDs this season out of the twelve games he’s started under center, so it is conceivable that they could both be successful at home in a game that will help them in their push to play in the postseason.

The weather could be a factor affecting how productive these two can be, so be sure to check back closer to game time to see if any December Ohio snowstorms are on the way, though both of these teams are used to such conditions, the Browns’ 4th ranked run game featuring RB Nick Chubb is more equipped to handle it than would be Bengals’ Chase running deep routes in the snow.

How to Watch Browns vs Bengals

• What: Cleveland Browns vs Cincinnati Bengals

• Where: Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, OH

• When: Sunday, December 11, 2022, at 1:00 PM ET

• How: CBS