Houston Texans vs Cleveland Browns Preview

Texans Trying to Beat Browns For Sixth Consecutive Time

In an otherwise disappointing season for the Houston Texans, they will attempt to defeat the Cleveland Browns for a sixth straight time on Sunday as small road underdogs. The Texans have won the past five meetings with the Browns both straight up and against the spread dating back to 2008, with an average margin of victory of more than 15 points.

houston Texans vs Cleveland Browns
  • Date/Time: November 15, 1 p.m. ET
  • Stadium: FirstEnergy Stadium
  • TV Coverage: Fox
  • Sportsbook Odds: Browns -2.5 | O/U 54 (Line History)
  • Texans vs Browns Matchup Report

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

It is not a surprise to see the point spread move up to Cleveland -3 in early betting action, although it will be interesting to see if it moves much higher than that. Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list after a staff member tested positive, but he himself has reportedly tested negative. That means Mayfield should be able to practice later in the week, barring any setbacks, and start on Sunday. Of course, this is a fluid situation, though, and any potential setback would obviously impact these numbers.

Houston News & Notes

Houston has played better under interim head coach Romeo Crennel, going 2-2 since firing Bill O’Brien, with both wins coming against the Jacksonville Jaguars. That is nothing to brag about, but the Texans did seem to make a wise choice by not dealing away any players before the NFL trade deadline.

They were rumored to be possibly sending wide receiver Will Fuller to the Green Bay Packers, and quarterback Deshaun Watson recently admitted he would have been very unhappy if that had happened.

Instead, they kept Fuller and defensive end J.J. Watt, preventing any further dissension on the team. Fuller has a touchdown catch in six consecutive games for the Texans, who saw running back David Johnson suffer a concussion last Sunday. Watson had a team-high 50 rushing yards on 10 carries in a 27-25 win over the Jaguars while running back Duke Johnson added 41.

Cleveland News & Notes

Assuming Mayfield is good to go, Cleveland should be in a good position to pick up another victory in this spot and stay in contention for a spot in the postseason.

While the Browns will have a tough time catching the unbeaten Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North, the expanded playoff field still gives them a solid opportunity to return for the first time since 2002.

That makes this a must-win situation, though, and they have not fared well after a bye historically. Cleveland is only 2-7 straight up and 2-5-2 against the spread in its last nine games following a bye, according to the Odds Shark NFL Database, but maybe the extra time off has helped the team get healthier this time around.

Betting Pick: UNDER 53.5

Bettors saw just how the weather can affect the total in Cleveland the last time the team played there, as Las Vegas came to town and left with a 16-6 victory. The total on that game closed at 47.5 after Sportsbook much higher, and there could be a similar situation here. A 40 percent chance of rain is forecasted for Sunday, and this number seems at least 4 or 5 points too high. This one will go UNDER for the ninth time in 10 meetings.

Shark Bites
  • The Browns are 7-2 SU in their last 9 home games.
  • The OVER is 5-2 in the Browns’ last 7 games.
  • The UNDER is 8-1 in the past 9 meetings.
CLE is 7-2 SU in its last 9 home games.home The OVER is 5-2 in CLE’s last 7 games.home The UNDER is 8-1 in the last 9 between these teams.
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