Washington Redskins (7-6 SU, 8-5 ATS) vs. Cleveland Browns (5-8 SU, 8-4-1 ATS)
NFL Week 15
Date/Time: 1:00 PM ET, December 16, 2012
Where: Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, OH
TV: FOX
by Jason Green, Football Handicapper, Predictem.com
Point Spread: CLE +1/WASH -1
Over/Under Total: 43.5
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Will he play or won’t he? That is the big question in this non-conference match up and the he I am referring to is Redskins’ QB Robert Griffin III. He sprained his knee in the Redskins last game and is a question mark in this game. If he cannot go Kirk Cousins, who played well in taking over for RG3 in the last game, will get the nod. The Redskins are back in the playoff picture, as they have won 4 straight. Washington is tied with Dallas at 7-6 and each trails New York by 1 game in the NFC East.
The Browns will not be making the playoffs, but they have won 3 straight. Sure, those wins were facing a Big Ben-less Steelers’ team, the Raiders, and the Chiefs, but Cleveland is playing with confidence and they are giving their fans some hope.
In their last games the Redskins needed OT to beat the Baltimore Ravens 31-28 and the Browns beat the Kansas City Chiefs 30-7.
The Skins, and especially their fans, are hoping RG3 can play, as he has been the main reason Washington is back in the playoff race. He played great in the win over the Ravens passing for 246 yards with 1 TD and 0 INT and he also rushed for 34 yards. Cousins came in and was 2/2 with a TD and he also rushed for the game-tying 2-point conversion. Whoever is under center for the Redskins will have a good game facing a Cleveland pass defense that only ranks 21st in the league. The Browns have won 3 straight, but in the Pittsburgh win they faced backups and in the Chiefs win they faced, well, the Chiefs. In the Raiders gave they gave up 344 passing yards.
If you went to the store to buy something and there were two of the exact same items on the shelf, one being $1.05 and one being $1.10, which would you purchase? The cheaper one of course! So then why are you still laying -110 odds when you could be laying only -105 odds at 5Dimes?
Washington rookie RB Alfred Morris has already broken the Skins’ rookie rushing record and the 6th round draft pick ranks 4th in the league in rushing yards. He rushed for 122 yards in the Ravens’ game and he will have another good game, especially if RG3 cannot play since the Redskins will lean heavily on the run.
Browns’ rookie QB Brandon Weeden has been playing well in the winning streak even though he does not have a great WR corps. The Redskins’ pass D has been torched all season and I think Weeden will have a good game, as the Browns will have to pass the ball since their solid rushing defense will stuff the run.
Even in winning 3 straight games Browns’ rookie RB Trent Richardson has failed to average over 3.6 yards per carry in any of those games, I do not see him improving on that average in this game. The Skins did give up a lot of rushing yards to the Ravens in their last game, but they will shut down Richardson in this one.
The Redskins are 3-3 on the road this season and the Browns are 4-3 at home.
In some betting trends for this game Washington is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games and they have an Under record of 5-2 in their last 7 games. Cleveland is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall, 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games, and they have an Under record of 10-2 in their last 12 home games.
Jason’s Pick to Cover the Point Spread: The Browns are playing well and this game will be a close one, but even if Cousins is playing QB the Redskins will win. Morris will have another good game and the Redskins’ D will play just well enough to eek out another win.
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