Browns-Giants best bets: Back Baker in the Meadowlands
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If someone told you in August that a game between the Browns and Giants would be flexed into prime time in Week 15, you'd have laughed in their face. But here we are.
Here's how we're betting Browns-Giants in the latest edition of Sunday Night Football from the Meadowlands.
Alex Kolodziej
Over 44.5
Call me crazy, but I'd much rather have Colt McCoy under center right now if I'm betting the Giants or an over. Don't get it twisted, Daniel Jones is the far better player when healthy, but his lower-body injury has taken away his running ability. I need someone who can match pace with the Browns, which isn't an easy task.
Cleveland's surged all the way into the top 10 of DVOA after last week's 42-point outburst against the Ravens. Following a string of bad-weather games, the Browns and their opponents have combined for 52, 76, and 79 points over the last three.
This is a pretty generous number.
Alex Moretto
Browns -6.5
I'm going to lay the chalk here.
There's too much working against the Giants in this spot. Jones' injury is crushing for an offense stuck in mud and going up against the Browns defense, which is a lot better than it showed last week against the Ravens.
Corner James Bradberry, who was playing at an All-Pro level, is also out for New York. It's a huge loss seeing as Baker Mayfield - dare I say it - has been feeling awfully dangerous of late. He's found a nice rhythm in this offense without Odell Beckham Jr., and I don't see it slowing here against the Giants, who are missing several members of the coaching staff due to COVID-19.
Kareem Hunt over 18.5 receiving yards (-115)
This is number is laughable. Mayfield should be slinging it often in this game against the Giants, who are stout against the run and find themselves without their best corner.
While the Giants have found success slowing the run, they're far less effective covering running backs out of the backfield. New York has allowed 653 receiving yards to running backs this season - only the Packers (660) have allowed more.
We'll see a lot of dump-offs to Hunt, who's coming off a game of 77 receiving yards. He'll sail over in this one.
C Jackson Cowart
Browns -6.5
I've been on the Giants plenty this year, and if Jones was starting here, I'd probably bet them again this week. But I can't get behind the idea of New York's already inept offense matching wits with the Browns, who've dropped 40-plus in consecutive games.
Mayfield seems to have turned the page over his last seven games, as he's thrown for 13 touchdowns to just two interceptions with a 106.9 passer rating over that stretch. The Giants' defense has made greater men look weaker, but it would take a heroic effort to keep this within the number.