NFL Week 6 Cardinals at Browns Betting Preview
Undefeated Underdogs as Arizona Heads to the Dawg Pound
Only 45% of public bettors like the undefeated visitors in the week 6 Cardinals at Browns matchup. Arizona has started the season 5-0 but head to FirstEnergy Stadium as +3 point underdogs against 3-2 Cleveland. Arizona has won all three of their road games so far this season, while the Browns are 2-0 at home.
Something to note is that the Browns come into this game kind of banged up. Jarvis Landry (knee) remains out but this week’s he’s joined on the bench by Nick Chubb (calf). NFL sack leader Myles Garrett (lower body) will likely play but how effectively?
Arizona Has Answered Every Challenge So Far
The Cardinals’ 5-0 start to the season is no fluke. They pounded Tennessee 38-13 on the road in the season opener, handed the Rams their first loss and on the road in week 4, and avoided the letdown game last time out beating San Francisco 17-10 last Sunday.
Kyler Murray said the week 6 Cardinals at Browns game is “just 1 of 17” even though he’s facing fellow former #1 pick and Oklahoma teammate Baker Mayfield for the 2nd time. Mayfield is going to be wanting revenge after Arizona won 38-24 in week 15 of the 2019 season even though the Cardinals had dropped six straight prior. Mayfield went for 247 and 2 TD while Murray had 219 and a score but both QBs are much, much better two years later.
Cleveland is going to want to run the ball on Sunday even without Chubb, and that’s a problem for the Cardinals who rank 29th in the NFL allowing 139.0 ypg on the ground. Then again with Kareem Hunt (wrist) also banged up it’s possible the Browns do try to throw more which plays into Arizona’s strength as they are 8th in the NFL allowing just 214.4 ypg through the air.
Cleveland Needs a Bounce Back
It’s been pretty entertaining when the Browns meet up with an AFC West team this season, losing 33-29 to the Chiefs in the season opener and falling just short in a 47-42 loss at the Chargers last week. The Browns ran for 230 yards vs. LAC, but Chubb had 161 of those so can Hunt (or whoever) pick up the slack?
Mayfield also had 305 yards passing with 2 TD and 0 INT last week so he’s more than capable of keeping the Browns in Sunday’s contest, especially at home. Cleveland’s passing game gets a boost with Arizona sack leader Chandler Jones landing on the COVID list and being unavailable for this meeting. The Cardinals do have J.J. Watt, but he’s still waiting for his first sack with the team.
The Browns know a thing or two about being banged up on the defensive side of the football as not only Garrett but also Jadaveon Clowney (elbow) has missed practice time this week. Cleveland did not look 100% last week, with the Chargers compiling 493 yards and 47 points led by 398 yards and 4 TD from Justin Herbert. Is it Murray’s turn?
Week 6 Cardinals at Browns Pick
This feels like a game where you should take the undefeated Cardinals getting points and see how it plays out? The line is saying Cleveland though, because why isn’t Arizona favored or at least a PK with all the Browns injuries? Apparently Mayfield gets it done.
Browns 34 – Cardinals 27
Free Pick: Browns -3
