Bengals at Browns: Picks, Spreads, Odds, and Predictions

It is interesting to me that more people picked the Browns (1) than the Steelers over the Bengals. For the most part, the Bengals were the favorite all over the web.

The Bengals are 4.5 point favorites and the over under is 42.

Name	Pick	Score	Blurb
Elliot Harrison - NFL.com		20 - 14	This game might not even feature this many total points. I'm seeing another Andy Dalton turnover that leads to a score for the other guys here. Still, without Trent Richardson, will Cleveland be able to run the football effectively enough to keep the Bengals' pass rush at bay? Even if Dalton fumbles or throws a pick-six, Brian Hoyer cannot afford to give up another three interceptions, as he did last week in Minnesota. Dalton has a defense AND a running game to back him up, which means he'll have a chance to recover from any mistakes. The Bengals are more talented than the Vikings on both sides of the ball. So I pose the question again: Can the Browns run the football against Cincinnati like the Green Bay Packers (182 rushing yards) did in Week 3? Chris Ogbonnaya, come on down!
Don Banks - SI		27 - 24	Hoyer Fever. It's contagious. And the Browns have definitely caught it. I can't blame them. Cleveland has been boring at quarterback since when, Bernie Kosar's glory days? The Bengals should win this game if they're truly a rising power in the AFC North, but I don't think they will. Brian Hoyer, Jordan Cameron and Josh Gordon have breathed some life into the Browns offense, and the resurgence will continue for at least another week. One more good game out of Hoyer and Brandon Weeden might as well pick out which clipboard he wants to hold for the rest of the season.
Pete Prisco - CBS		23 - 13	The Bengals face a tough challenge here going to play their in-state rivals. Cleveland impressed last week winning at Minnesota. But the Bengals are the better team. Brian Hoyer comes back to reality in this one as the Bengals defense suffocates the Browns offense.
Coley Harvey - ESPN		26 - 17	Injured as it may be, fined as it may be, Cincinnati's defense still has the talent and obvious determination to overcome the bouts of adversity that likely will be in its way Sunday afternoon. The combination of that and a serviceable offense means the Bengals will be able to outlast the Browns ahead of next week's big showdown with the Patriots.
Matt Williamson - ESPN		24 - 17	The Browns are coming off a big upset win in Minnesota, but unfortunately, I think they crash back to earth against a superior Cincinnati team. The Bengals have the superior quarterback and weaponry as well as a much better secondary. Cincinnati also doesn't have a particular weak spot on its roster.
Greg Cote - Miami Herald		21 - 19	The font of Ohioans' pride, this state battle finds both teams coming off dramatic wins. Brownies rallied past Vikings, and Gals became first team since 1999 to somehow win despite allowing 30 unanswered points. Cincy's Marvin Lewis is 14-6 vs. Earthtones, including seven of past nine, and two of past three by the lake. Like Clevers to stay close, though. CB Joe Haden should make A.J. Green work for his yards.
Mike Florio - ProFootballTalk		28 - 21	The Browns overachieved on Sunday, coming from behind to win in Minnesota. But the Bengals pulled off the kind of outcome reserved for truly great teams, blowing a 14-point lead and then reversing a 16-point deficit against one of the better franchises in the league. Look for the Bengals to find a new level of confidence and ability, as they move farther from a Week One loss that should have been a win.
MDS - ProFootballTalk		24 - 10	Give Cleveland credit for turning in a spirited game last week, when everyone thought the Browns were ready to give up on the season. And although no one notices, the Browns' defense has actually been playing pretty well all season. But the Bengals are simply a better team and will win the Battle of Ohio.

Then there are the experts that pick the winners without a score projection or a writeup. Some of those are here:

Media Guy	Pick
Marcus Allen - ESPN
Mike Golic - ESPN
Merril Hoge - ESPN
Ron Jaworski - ESPN
Chris Mortensen - ESPN
Adam Schefter - ESPN
Mark Schlereth - ESPN
Tom Jackson - ESPN
Keyshawn Johnson - ESPN
Mike Ditka - ESPN
Chris Carter - ESPN
Jason La Canfora - CBS
Josh Katzowitz - CBS
Ryan Wilson - CBS

When I ran the simulation at WhatIfSports.com, the Bengals come up with a big win.