Bengals vs Browns: Oddsmakers and experts predict a close game in Cincinnati

The Bengals and Browns haven’t had a very close rivalry as of late. The last seven meetings between the two have ended with the Bengals coming out on top, but the Browns haven’t done very much winning of any kind in that timeframe. However, the oddsmakers and experts think this could be the game where the Browns fortune in the rivalry shifts.

Odds

The Bengals are currently on 2.5-point favorites against the Browns, according to Bovada. That isn’t good considering home teams usually a three-point favorite against teams of equal talent. That means the odds makers view the Browns as a slightly better team than the Bengals who will likely be without A.J. Green on Sunday.

This shouldn’t be surprising considering how bad the Bengals have looked in their last five games. Until they’ve shown that they have turned it around there really isn’t too much of an argument to make with the oddsmakers.

Betting trends

• Cincinnati is 1-4 against the spread in its last five games
• Cincinnati is 1-4 straight up in its last five games
• The total has gone over in eight of Cincinnati’s last 11 games
• Cincinnati is 4-2 straight up in its last six games at home
• Cincinnati is 5-0 against the spread in its last five games when playing Cleveland
• Cincinnati is 5-0 straight up in its last five games when playing Cleveland
• The total has gone under in six of Cincinnati’s last eight games when playing Cleveland
• Cincinnati is 4-1 against the spread in its last five games when playing at home against Cleveland
• Cincinnati is 8-1 straight up in its last nine games when playing at home against Cleveland
• The total has gone over in five of Cincinnati’s last seven games when playing at home against Cleveland
• Cleveland is 3-21-1 straight up in its last 25 games
• Cleveland is 4-11-1 against the spread in its last 16 games on the road
• Cleveland is 0-5 straight up in its last five games on the road
• The total has gone over in 13 of Cleveland’s last 19 games on the road
• Cleveland is 0-5 against the spread in its last five games when playing Cincinnati
• Cleveland is 0-5 straight up in its last five games when playing Cincinnati
• The total has gone under in six of Cleveland’s last eight games when playing Cincinnati
• Cleveland is 1-4-1 against the spread in its last six games when playing on the road against Cincinnati
• Cleveland is 1-8 straight up in its last nine games when playing on the road against Cincinnati
• The total has gone over in five of Cleveland’s last seven games when playing on the road against Cincinnati

Experts’ picks

• Fox Sports is predicting a 25.6-22.9 victory for the Bengals
• Seven of ESPN’s experts are taking the Bengals over the Browns
• CBS Sports’ eight reporters are evenly split between the Browns and Bengals
• Only three of SB Nation’s seven experts went with Cincinnati
• NFL Pick Watch, which takes into account picks made by experts across the web, only has the Bengals receiving 67 percent of the picks.

This really shows how far the perception of the Bengals have fallen since they were 4-1 earlier in the season. It is frustrating for fans to see this team viewed like this, but the reality is that over the past five games the Bengals have done nothing to inspire any confidence in this team being a contender. If they want to start changing that perception, it will start with a victory over the Browns.