The Philadelphia Eagles may only have three wins on the season but they are still in first place in the lowly NFC East division as they head to Cleveland Browns on Sunday (1pm ET; TV: Live on Fox).
If the season ended today the Eagles would be in the playoffs with a 3-7-1 record (a half game ahead of the 3-7 New York Giants in the division) and the Browns would be on the outside looking in with a 6-3 record. The Eagles are coming off a brutal loss to the divisional rival Giants. Philadelphia struggled to muster much offense despite being healthier and off a bye week. They failed to score any points in the 4th quarter and ultimately lost 27-17 to the Giants.
The Browns are coming off an unimpressive, but important, 10-7 victory over the Texans to stay in the playoff hunt. They are currently sitting, with the 6-3 Titans, out of the playoffs. Every game is a must win in a competitive AFC Wild Card race. How will this clash work out this week? Hopefully this preview and our Philadelphia Eagles vs Cleveland Browns predictions with final betting picks will answer that question.
Can Eagles Keep Wentz Upright?
The Eagles’ offensive line has been battered and it has shown in their lack of offensive production. They have three starting lineman on the IR. The Eagles have given up the most sacks in the NFL (35), which also makes them the worst team in the league in average sacks allowed per game (3.9). This has led to the Eagles losing 237 yards to sacks. Wentz also leads the league in interceptions (12) and is tied for 2nd in fumbles with three (one lost). The excessive amount of sacks allowed and turnovers has a lot to due with the ineptitude on offense. The Eagles rank 24 out of 32 teams in average points scored per game (22.4).
The Browns rank 13th and average 2.4 sacks per game. Starting defensive end Myles Garrett leads the NFL with 9.5 sacks. He should be able to have a field day against a weak offensive line, which should lead to several mistakes by Wentz and likely a couple turnovers.
The Browns’ defense has been exploited for much of the season, but they have been much stronger in their last two games. Through the first seven games of the season the Browns gave up on average 32.0 points per game. Over the last two games the Browns gave up 16 in a 16-7 loss to the Raiders and 7 in a 10-7 victory over the Texans. Both games were at home and were their two strongest defensive performances of the season. The Raiders and Texans average 28.3 and 22.2 points per game respectively.
Both performances against the Browns were well below their season averages. Their strongest unit on defense is against the run. They rank 8th in the NFL giving up on average 104.9 rushing yards per game. This matches up well to what the Eagles do best. The Eagles’ rushing attack ranks 10th in average rushing yards per game (122.8), while their passing attack averages 209.0 yards per game, which is good for 27th in the NFL.
The Eagles’ best offensive weapon is running back Miles Sanders. Sanders leads the team in rushing yards (519) and is second on the team in rushing touchdowns (3) despite missing three games. The Browns’ defense should limit the Eagles’ run game and make Wentz beat them through the air. This could prove to be a disaster with Garrett coming off the end and with the Eagles giving up the most sacks on the season.
Our Preview’s Philadelphia Eagles vs Cleveland Browns Predictions & Betting Picks Verdict
USAbetting is going to be rolling with the home favorite Cleveland Browns. They are sitting at -3.5pts on the spread with the primary USA online bookmaker’s sites. We think the Browns’ defense will be able to limit Sanders and the rushing attack, which will put the pressure on quarterback Carson Wentz and the passing game.
The Eagles’ inability to protect the quarterback may lead to several sacks and turnovers. They have one of the worst rushing defenses in the NFL and the Browns have one of the better rushing attacks with the two-headed monster of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.
The Eagles give up 133.0 rushing yards on average per game (26th) and the Browns run for 159.0 yards on average per game (4th). This should prove to be one of the more important mismatches in the game.
The Eagles’ propensity to turn the ball over could make for some short fields and take the pressure off Baker Mayfield. He will need to limit the mistakes himself and lean on their strong run game to control the ball and protect a lead. I expect Myles Garrett to cause havoc and disrupt Wentz and the passing game.
I think this will be a comfortable win and cover for the Browns. I see a 20-10 victory for the Browns. Keep an eye out for the weather. Currently they are calling for potential rain and double digit winds, which would lend to the under. The last two home games for the Browns have featured significant winds and have both gone under comfortably. In those two games only 39 points were scored combined. The total is currently sitting at 45.5 points. However the Philadelphia Eagles vs Cleveland Browns predictions and betting pick that we advise is:
- Bet the Cleveland Browns -3.5pts @ +100 (evens) with Bovada.
Alex Uplinger is a sports betting analyst, writer, podcast producer and an expert on NFL and college basketball. As well as his football previews for USA Betting, Alex produces and co-hosts an NFL show for Full Slate and a sports betting podcast on the Blue Wire Network.