Cleveland Browns at Indianapolis Colts Point Spread Play
Cleveland Browns (3-2 SU, 3-2 ATS) at Indianapolis Colts (3-3, 3-3)
Date/Time: 1 pm ET Sunday, Oct. 22
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium
TV: CBS
Betting Odds:
Point Spread: Cle -2.5/Ind +2.5
Money Line: Cle -145/Ind +125
Over/Under Total: 40
Two teams operating lately with their backup quarterbacks meet when the Browns battle the Colts Sunday afternoon in Indianapolis.
Cleveland played its last two games without QB Deshaun Watson, and he’s listed as questionable for this contest. But at least it looks like he’ll return this season. Indianapolis, on the other hand, recently lost QB Anthony Richardson, probably for the season.
NFL Betting Lines
The Week 7 NFL betting market opened Cleveland as a two-point road favorite over Indianapolis, with an over/under of right around 39. Early betting action then bumped both the Browns to -2.5 and that total to 40.
Browns-Colts NFL Betting Preview
Cleveland just bounced back from a bad loss to rival Baltimore two weeks ago to defeat previously undefeated San Francisco last week 19-17. The Browns spotted the 49ers the first 10 points of the game but pulled to within 10-7 at the half. Cleveland then scored the first six points of the second half to take the lead, fell back down 17-13 early in the fourth quarter but kicked a couple of field goals to retake the lead, then survived a missed San Francisco field goal in the waning seconds.
The Browns won outright last week as eight-point home dogs and cashed in at around +400 on the NFL money line.
Cleveland, quarterbacked by backup PJ Walker, out-gained San Francisco 334-215. But we should point out the 49ers lost their top two offensive weapons during the game. The Browns also out-rushed the Niners 160-108 and won time of possession by a 33:27 split.
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Two games ago Cleveland, without starting QB Deshaun Watson, lost at home to the Ravens 28-3. Three games ago the Browns, with Watson, beat Tennessee 27-3.
In fact, Cleveland has alternated wins and losses through the first five games of this season.
Meanwhile, Indianapolis is looking to bounce back this week after falling at Jacksonville last Sunday 37-20. The Colts, with Gardner Minshew at QB in place of the injured Anthony Richardson, drew first blood with an early field goal but trailed 21-6 at the half. Indianapolis then gave up the first 10 points out of the locker room before scoring a couple of meaningless touchdowns to make the final score a bit more respectable.
The Colts actually out-gained Jacksonville 354-233 but lost the turnover battle 4-1, resulting in at least a -17 points differential.
Indianapolis is doing a bit of the roller-coaster thing itself. A month ago the Colts won back-to-back games against Houston and Baltimore; then they lost to the Rams in overtime; then they beat Tennessee 23-16, before losing last week to the Jags.
Might Indy be primed for a rebound this week?
On the injury front for the Browns QB Watson and RB Hunt are both listed as questionable, RB Chubb is out and they could be without three starters along the offensive line. Yee-ouch. Meanwhile, for the Colts Richardson is out and two starting O-linemen are listed as questionable. But they do have RB Jonathan Taylor back, and he should see his heaviest workload this season Sunday.
These teams last met three seasons ago, a 32-23 Cleveland victory at Browns Stadium. Baker Mayfield quarterbacked the Brownies that day against Philip Rivers for Indianapolis.
NFL Betting Trends
Minshew is 9-17 SU, 11-15 ATS as an NFL starter.
Totals Report
The unders are 3-1-1 in Browns games this season, which are averaging 34 total points.
The overs are 4-2 in Colts games this season, which are averaging 49 points.
After going 13-2 last week, the unders are 56-37 in the NFL this season.
Free NFL Betting Pick
Cleveland is coming off a tough upset over one of the best teams in the League; we consider the banged-up Browns good candidates for a regression this week. Indianapolis is coming off a tough loss at Jacksonville, in that they out-gained the Jags by over 100 yards but turned the ball over four times. We consider the Colts good candidates for a reversal of fortune this week. And Taylor is back. We’ll take Indianapolis for the
