Bengals vs. Browns: Odds, expert picks and predictions

The final week of a long season is here, and it is no surprise but the oddsmakers and experts aren’t exactly flocking to the Bengals.

At 1-14, Cincinnati hasn’t pulled off many upsets, but they have made a habit of keeping games close as of late. The Browns have also been one of the more disappointing teams down the stretch, but how does everyone responsible for predicting games feel about this matchup?

Odds

The Bengals are currently three-point underdogs at home to the Browns, according to Bovada. It is surprising that the Bengals late game surge last week close game against Cleveland in Week 14.

It isn’t completely shocking though to see Cincinnati as the underdog at home. That happens when you’re only able to win one of of 15 games in a season. Three points is still relatively close as well all things considered. There are other places who have the Bengals as only 2.5-point underdogs.

Betting trends

• Cincinnati are 3-8-1 against the spread in their last 12 games.
• Cincinnati are 1-16 straight up in their last 17 games.
• Cincinnati are 1-6 straight up in their last seven games at home.
• Cincinnati are 12-3 straight up in their last 15 games when playing at home against Cleveland.
• Cincinnati are 2-6-1 against the spread in their last nine games this season.
• The total has gone under in four of Cincinnati’s last six games against an opponent in the AFC North division.
• Cincinnati are 13-7 against the spread in their last 20 games played in December.
• The total has gone under in nine of Cincinnati’s last 13 games when playing as the underdog.
• Cleveland are 2-8 against the spread in their last 10 games against Cincinnati.
• Cleveland are 3-7 straight up in their last 10 games against Cincinnati.
• Cleveland are 0-5 against the spread in their last five games on the road.
• Cleveland are 3-12 straight up in their last 15 games when playing on the road against Cincinnati.
• The total has gone under in four of Cleveland’s last six games against an opponent in the AFC conference.
• Cleveland are 4-2 against the spread in their last six games against an opponent in the AFC North division.
• Cleveland are 1-4 straight up in their last five games played in December.

Expert picks

• Fox Sports is predicting a 30.4 to 19.2 victory for the Browns
• Only one of ESPN’s nine experts went with the Bengals
• CBS Sports has half of their eight experts picking Cincinnati
• Only one of SB Nation’s eight experts took a chance on the Bengals
• NFL Pick Watch, which takes into account picks from around the web, has Cincinnati receiving 27 percent of the picks

In Week 17, some experts take swings on underdogs to try and make up a difference with others from their site. Even still, the Bengals should be popular upset picks this week. They are at home, they already played a close game against the Browns, and they will be trying to send Andy Dalton off with a win.

Meanwhile, Cleveland has all the drive of a team that had their post season aspirations dashed after an offseason of everyone telling them how good they’d be. The simple question is who does this game mean more to?