In this week 17 NFL preview between Browns and Commanders, see who like to win the game and cover the spread.

Browns vs Commanders Pick & Preview- NFL Week 17

On Sunday, January 1st at 1:00 PM ET, the Cleveland Browns and Washington Commanders at FedEx Field in Landover, MD. FOX is carrying television coverage for the game. In a non-conference matchup, the Commanders are 2.5 point favorites at home.

Browns vs Commanders Matchup at a Glance

  • Sport: NFL
  • Teams: Cleveland Browns at Washington Commanders
  • Where: Landover at FedEx Field
  • Date: Sunday, January 1st
  • Betting Odds WAS -2.5, CLE +117 | WAS -141 O/U 40.5

Will Deshaun Watson Lead The Browns To A Win In What Figures To Be A Tightly Contested Game?

Heading into week 16, the Cleveland Browns are looking to bounce back from a loss to the Saints by a score of 17-10, giving them a loss over a non-conference win. With the loss, Cleveland failed to cover the spread, as they had a -3.5 advantage on the spread. The team’s combined scoring of 27 points fell below the posted betting line of 32.

Even though Cleveland ran the ball 34 times, they ended the game with just 124 rushing yards. Nick Chubb led the team with 92 rush yards and did not find the endzone.

At the quarterback position, Deshaun Watson ended the game with a passer rating of 47.1 on 135 yards through the air and did not find the endzone. Amari Cooper was the team’s leader in the passing game, finishing with 72 yards and 6 catches. Overall, Cleveland is the 22nd-ranked team in pass yards per game, with an average of 207.7. This season, 49.1% of the team’s offensive plays have come through the pass, placing them 24th in the NFL.

Will Taylor Heinicke Lead The Commanders To A Win Over Cleveland?

Last week, the Commanders fell by a score of 37-20 to the San Francisco 49ers, giving them a loss in the NFC standings. In terms of betting, Washington not only lost the game but failed to cover the spread as 6.5 point underdog. With their combined 57 points, the two teams exceeded the betting over-under number of 37.

Even though Washington ran the ball 33 times, they ended the game with just 79 rushing yards. Brian Robinson Jr. led the team with 58 rush yards and did not find the endzone.

Quarterback Taylor Heinicke struggled to move the ball in the passing game, finishing with just 166 through the air and a passer rating of 114.6. Despite his low passing yard total, Heinicke still threw for 2 scores. Terry McLaurin led the way for Washington at receiver, finding the endzone once to go along with his 77 yards. Averaging 33.8 attempts per game, Washington is ranked 18th in the league. Going into the game, the Commanders have thrown a total of 12.0 interceptions, coming on a passing completion percentage of 62.03% (25th).

Odds & Free Betting Analysis for this NFL Game

Cleveland and Washington did not play each other in the 2021-2022 regular season.

Cleveland comes into the game looking to continue their recent success over Cleveland, as they have a record of 3-2. The two teams have combined to average 43.8 points per game in their last 5 meetings.

The Cleveland Browns have performed well vs the spread in recent games, going 1-2. On average, the Browns have averaged 20.6 points per game in the past 5 head-to-head matchups, compared to Washington at 23.2.

Across the Browns’ last 5 road games, the team averaged 19.4 points per game while allowing 26.0. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 2-2-1 while going 1-4-0 straight-up.

Across their 5 previous home games, Washington has an ATS mark of 2-2-1. Their straight-up record in these matchups was 2-3 while averaging 17.6 points per game.

Browns vs Commanders Pick

  • Free Spread Prediction: Commanders -2.5
  • Free Total Prediction: Over 40.5