Minnesota Vikings vs Cleveland Browns Betting Pick & Prediction 8/17/24
With the point spread sitting at -3 in favor of the Browns, this week two pre-season matchup is a good one to keep an eye on. The Browns are the favorite, sitting at -156 on the money line, and the over/under line is at 37.5 points. This one is being played at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, OH, and the Vikings and Browns are looking to bounce back after each going 0-1 in the pre-season.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS VS CLEVELAND BROWNS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Cleveland Browns -3
This game will be played at Cleveland Browns Stadium at 4:25 ET on Saturday, August 17th.
WHY BET THE CLEVELAND BROWNS:
- We have the Browns winning this one by a score of 25 to 19
- Not only do we have the Browns winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at -3
- Look for this game to go over the line of 37.5 points
Will The Vikings Pick Up A Win On The Road?
After trailing 20-7 at halftime, the Vikings made a big comeback in the 2nd half and pulled off a 24-23 win over the Raiders in their week one pre-season matchup. Heading into the game, the Vikings were +3 point underdogs, and with the 1-point win, they not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.
Minnesota’s comeback started in the 3rd quarter, with two touchdowns from J.J. McCarthy, one to Trishton Jackson and another to Trent Sherfield Sr. Although the Raiders added a field goal with 9:45 remaining in the 4th, the Vikings still pulled off the comeback with a late field goal.
The Vikings’ offense finished with 18 first downs and 310 yards passing in their 24-23 win over the Raiders. Minnesota’s running game was efficient, averaging 6.5 yards per attempt and 142 yards on 22 attempts. However, their ground game was limited to 33.3% on third down.
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy threw for 188 yards on 11 completions, finishing with two touchdowns and a passer rating of 116. McCarthy was also the team’s leading passer, and he ended the game with 188 yards.
In their most recent game vs. the Raiders, the Vikings’ defense was able to come up with four sacks and really limited their opponent’s passing game. They allowed just 188 yards through the air and held the Raiders to 14 completions on 24 attempts. Despite this, they did give up one passing touchdown.
On third down, the Vikings’ defense was tough to move the ball against, as they held the Raiders to a 31.2% conversion rate. And even though they finished with 120 rushing yards allowed, they did hold the Raiders to just 3.2 yards per attempt.
Will The Browns Win At Home Over The Vikings?
After dropping their pre-season opener to the Packers by a score of 23-10, the Browns are now 0-1. Not only did they lose this one, but they also failed to cover the spread, as they were 5.5-point favorites heading into this one.
As for the game itself, the Browns got off to a good start with a 55-yard field goal from Cade York, but the Packers responded with a touchdown to take a 7-3 lead after the first quarter. From there, the Browns didn’t score until the 4th quarter, when Aidan Robbins rushed for a 1-yard touchdown.
The Browns’ offense struggled to get anything going in their most recent game vs. the Packers, finishing with just 188 yards passing and no touchdowns. They were held to 56 yards on the ground, averaging only 2.7 yards per attempt, and their running game never got going with just 21 attempts.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson finished with 134 yards passing, going 14/18 (77%) in the game. He was unable to find the endzone, and the Browns’ offense as a whole managed just 10 points and 16 first downs in the 23-10 loss.
In their most recent game vs. the Packers, the Browns’ defense allowed 155 rushing yards on 4.6 yards per attempt, despite holding Green Bay to just 7 rushing first downs. Overall, they finished with 220 passing yards allowed on 17 completions, and the Browns’ offense finished with 375 yards in their 23-10 loss.
The Browns’ defense allowed the Packers to convert on 57.1% of their third down attempts and finish with 1 defensive sack. They also allowed one passing touchdown and had a tough time defending the big play, as the Packers finished with 7.9 yards per attempt in the passing game.