The Cleveland Browns are once again heavy underdogs in the postseason. The odds are stacked against them even higher this week against Kansas City than last week in Pittsburgh, and I am not just talking about the 10-point spread, which is the largest of the week. In order to find an NFL expert that picks the Browns, you have to look pretty far and wide.
When looking at the percentage of experts predicting a Cleveland victory, NFL Pickwatch only has 4 percent marked for the Browns. This is the most lopsided game of the week, but it should come as no surprise to Browns fans.
Not one pundit on the CBS Sports panel had the cajones to side with the Browns either, but things get a bit more even when looking at it from a gambling perspective. Five of the eight on the panel actually have Cleveland winning against the spread.
Expectations may be low for the Browns going up against such a powerhouse Chiefs squad, but they are looking to be the favorite against the spread. The spread opened at 10 but has now moved to 9.5 in most books, which indicates most of the money be placed is on our beloved Browns. According to the Action Network, 53% of all tickets are on Cleveland, which should be another feather in the respect cap.
Another key trend that makes the Browns look better is the fact that teams in the divisional round that receive seven or more points are 60% against the spread in the last 10 years. It doesn’t stop there.
The referee for the game is Clay Martin; road teams cover the spread 70% of the time when he is the referee. Although all of these positives include betting odds, it is still interesting to note.