The Cleveland Browns head to Tennessee to take on the Titans in a matchup of premier running games and top AFC contenders. The Browns (8-3 SU, 4-7 ATS) may be the quietest 8-3 team in the league while the Titans (8-3 SU, 5-6 ATS) enter the week coming off a big divisional victory over the Colts.
- Date/Time: December 6, 1 p.m. ET
- Stadium: Nissan Stadium
- TV Coverage: CBS
- Sportsbook Odds: Titans -3 | O/U 53 (Line History)
- Browns vs Titans Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The game opened with the Titans as favorites at -3 but the line has moved to -5.5 across the board as money came in quickly on Tennessee. The total opened at 53 and has moved up slightly to 54 or 54.5 depending on the sportsbook.
Cleveland News & Notes
The Browns’ “run the ball and play defense” approach has been effective largely due to a two-headed monster at running back. Nick Chubb may be the best pure runner in the NFL and he is proving that this season as he ranks seventh in the league in rushing yards despite playing only six full games and is averaging 6.7 yards per rush – first among running backs.
Backfield counterpart Kareem Hunt has not been too bad himself – he ranks ninth in rush yards and fourth on the team with 22 receptions.
In Week 12, the Browns were without their two best defenders in defensive end Myles Garrett and cornerback Denzel Ward. This is a situation worth monitoring as Ward seems likely to miss this matchup while Garrett could return from the COVID-19 list this week.
Tennessee News & Notes
While Cleveland has a two-headed monster at running back, Tennessee has a running back who might be bigger and scarier than the Browns pair combined. Derrick Henry leads the league with 1,257 rushing yards and is second in the NFL with 12 touchdowns on the ground. Henry has been so dominant that he is starting to garner MVP buzz.
The Titans offense has been extremely efficient, turning into one of the league’s top units and most recently dismantling the great Indianapolis defense. There is no reason to believe the Titans will not keep up their torrid scoring pace against the Browns. Look for Henry and star receiver A.J. Brown to lead the charge for the Titans. Brown has scored at least one touchdown in seven of his nine games this season.
Betting Pick: Tennessee -5.5
The OVER is tempting in this matchup, but the Browns’ penchant for holding on to the football and keeping it away from the opposing team puts a bit of a cap on the scoring upside. However, the Titans should not have trouble scoring, so the game could come down to whether the Browns abandon the run to keep the score close. We don’t like their chances if so.
- The Titans are 11-3 SU in their last 14 games as a favorite.
- The Browns are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games vs the AFC.
- The Titans are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games as a favorite.
