Thursday Night Football: Unique betting trends for Jets-Browns tilt
One thousand and eleven days.
That's how long the Cleveland Browns have gone without being favored to win a football game at home. But, behold! The Browns are three-point favorites for Thursday night's home encounter with the New York Jets. And as the only team in the last 16 years to not have a winning home record as a favorite (25-25), Cleveland can finally join the rest of the NFL with a victory.
This matchup is tough on the eyes - so thank goodness for betting. Here are some details to consider from a wagering angle.
New York Jets at Cleveland Browns
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Odds: CLE -3 (point spread) / 40.5 (O/U)
This is right on par with CG Technology's look-ahead lines released back in May. Cleveland was originally pegged as a 2.5-point favorite over New York before being bet up to 3.5 in some places.
If good teams win but great teams cover...
The Browns are neither.
If there's any consolation, Cleveland has been better against the spread than it has straight up in two-plus years under head coach Hue Jackson, but not by much. The Browns, 1-32-1 overall under Jackson, own a 9-24-1 record against the spread.
Also, Jackson literally does not know what it feels like to be a home favorite. In fact, the Browns have been favored once with him as head coach - they were -1 in Indianapolis last season and lost, 31-28.
Prior to Jackson's arrival, Cleveland had covered just six of its 18 home games while laying chalk since 2010 and are 7-19 against the spread at home the last 26 overall.
More than just playoff chances
By now, you're probably familiar with how tough it is for an NFL team to make the playoffs after starting the campaign 0-2 (in case you're unfamiliar, only 8.5 percent of teams in this situation have clinched a postseason bid since 2009).
In the case of the Browns, they probably want the underdog role on Thursday. Winless teams in Week 3 who are favored by three points or fewer are 5-24-1 against the spread.
A tough situation for Sam Darnold?
Darnold passed his first true test with flying colors in Week 1. As the youngest starting quarterback in the Super Bowl era, the USC product immediately injected hope into the Jets' fan base after leading the team to a 48-17 rout of the Detroit Lions on the road in primetime.
A letdown at home in Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins has the Jets 1-1 on the season, and another tough matchup for the rookie looms in Week 3.
Per Pro Football Reference, rookie quarterbacks playing on Thursday with just three days of rest are 4-10 straight up while underdogs of three points or fewer are 1-3 against the spread.
Opposing Darnold under center will be Cleveland's Tyrod Taylor. Since being promoted to starter in Buffalo back in 2015, he's 13-7 against the spread at home and 7-2 in his last nine.
The last time a home team was favored following an 0-16 season
After the Lions wore the dunce cap in 2008 with the first 0-16 season in NFL history, they weren't home favorites until Week 8 of the 2009 season. The result? They lost outright, 20-10.