Browns open with 17th best odds to win Super Bowl LVIII

The bookies do not have a great deal of confidence in the Browns.

The Super Bowl just ended, as former members of the Cleveland Browns Andrew Wylie, Danny Shelton, Austin Reiter, and Jordan Franks all get rings with the Kansas City Chiefs. By a score of 38-35, the Chiefs took down Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles to win their second title in four years. And now, next year’s betting odds have already dropped as well, and the Browns, predictably, have not earned the confidence of the bookies.

They share those odds those same +4000 odds with the New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, and Las Vegas Raiders. After back-to-back middling seasons, these middle-of-the-road odds make quite a bit of sense for the Browns.

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2023 American Express picks: Rickie Fowler (90/1), Jason Day (70/1) among long shots you should target at PGA West

Fowler already has T-2 and T-6 finishes this season. Can he grab his first Tour win since 2019 this week?

A loaded field consisting of 10 of the world’s top 19 players has made its way to the California desert for the American Express at PGA West.

World No. 2 Scottie Scheffler and No. 4 Jon Rahm are the two betting favorites while Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele and Will Zalatoris are the other top 10 players set to tee it up Thursday.

With a three-course rotation used over the first three rounds, the cut will be made after 54 holes. Pete Dye’s Stadium Course will host the final round Sunday.

We already covered some of the best bets for the week, highlighted by Zalatoris and Tony Finau, but now it’s time to take a look at some long shots.

2023 American Express odds: Will Zalatoris, Tony Finau among best bets at PGA West

Both Zalatoris and Finau are coming off top 11 performances at the Sentry TOC.

After a few weeks in paradise, the PGA Tour heads to the desert of California for the American Express. Lucky for us, most of the top players in the world have made the trip.

Ten of the top 19 in the Official World Golf Ranking will be battling in the event, including No. 2 Scottie Scheffler and No. 4 Jon Rahm. Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele and Will Zalatoris round out the top 10 players in the field. Rahm, who recently won the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Maui, captured the title at this event in 2018.

Players will rotate between three golf courses during the first three rounds before the final round is played at the Pete Dye Stadium Course. There will be a 54-hole cut.

AmEx: 10 players to watch

Golf courses

The American Express 2022
The 16th hole during the first round of The American Express on the Stadium course at PGA West on January 20, 2022, in La Quinta, California. (Photo: Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

PGA West (Stadium Course) | 7,187 yards | Par 72
PGA West (Nicklaus Tournament Course) | 7,147 yards | Par 72
La Quinta Country Club | 7,060 yards | Par 72

Data Golf Information

Course Fit (compares golf courses based on the degree to which different golfer attributes — such as driving distance — to predict who performs well at each course – DataGolf): 1. The Reinassance Club, 2. Caves Valley Golf Club, 3. TPC Lousiana

Trending (the players’ last three starts): 1. Jon Rahm (1, T-8, 1), 2. Tony Finau (1, 7, T-7), 3. Scottie Scheffler (T-9, 2, T-7)

Percent chance to win (based on course history, fit, trending, etc.): 1. Jon Rahm (10.8 percent), 2. Scottie Scheffler (9.7 percent), 3. Patrick Cantlay (6.5 percent)

Golfweek’s weekly podcast

Listen to Riley Hamel and Andy Nesbitt on this week’s episode of Twilight 9! The boys discuss Si Woo Kim’s win at the Sony Open, preview the American Express and make a few picks for the week. Plus, Justin Thomas stops by for a quick chat!

Follow the Twilight 9 Podcast:
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Betting preview

Browns as 2.5 point favorites over Ravens signifies doubt around Lamar Jackson

Is Lamar Jackson’s playing status this weekend in doubt?

Despite being three and a half games behind them in the standings, the Cleveland Browns are 2.5-point favorites over the Baltimore Ravens as the books open up. This would seem to indicate the status of Ravens’ quarterback, Lamar Jackson, is in doubt after missing yesterday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. On a short week, Vegas believes the Ravens will once again turn to Tyler Huntley against the Browns on Saturday afternoon at 4:30 PM.

Sitting at 5-8 after an ugly loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Browns will need to win out and they need some other magic to happen in order to sniff the playoffs. That all starts, however, with a win this Saturday over their divisional rival.

Browns Ravens Lamar Jackson

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Panthers open Week 7 as hefty underdog to Buccaneers

Unsurprisingly, the Panthers (1-5) are quite the underdog for their Week 7 matchup with the Buccaneers (3-3).

As of Wednesday morning, we still don’t know who will be starting under center for the Carolina Panthers in Week 7. But even if we did, we have a feeling the following spread would be right where it’s at now.

For Sunday’s NFC South clash, Tipico Sportsbook opened the host Panthers up as a whopping 10.5-point underdog to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The moneyline for Carolina sits at -360 with the over/under at 40.5 points.

The visitors, led by some dude named Tom Brady, come in at 3-3 on the campaign. While Tampa Bay’s defense has come out strong in the first six outings of the 2022 season, having allowed seventh-fewest yards per game (302.5), their offense is dragging along as the league’s 21st-ranked unit.

(Way) below the Buccaneers are the Panthers—who sit a distant last with 260.0 yards per contest. They’re fresh off looking like a high school offense in their 24-10 loss to the Los Angeles Rams—where they recorded 203 yards and eight first downs.

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Panthers open as huge underdogs to Rams in Week 6

With a new HC and (possibly) a new QB in Week 6, the Panthers have opened as big underdogs for Sunday’s matchup with the Rams.

The Carolina Panthers may have just taken the first steps towards a new era in franchise history, but the expectations from the outside remain the same.

At 1-4, Steve Wilks’ Panthers have opened as substantial underdogs to the 2-3 Los Angeles Rams in Week 6. Tipico Sportsbook currently has the spread for Sunday’s matchup at 10.5 points.

With Matt Rhule now out, Wilks inherits a bit of a sloppy shop—one that ranks dead last in total yards per game (271.4) and currently lays claim to the No. 1 overall pick for the 2023 draft. So, yeah, they’re—for all intents and purposes—the worst the league has to offer at the moment.

And not only will they have a new head coach for their trip out west, but they’ll also likely have a new starting quarterback. As both Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold continue to deal with their high-ankle sprains, PJ Walker is in line to get the nod.

What could make this game interesting, however, is that these aren’t the same Rams who hoisted the Lombardi Trophy back in February. Head coach Sean McVay’s offense ranks 26th in total offense (299.8 yards per game) and 29th in scoring (16.0 points per game).

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Panthers open as 5.5-point underdogs to 49ers in Week 5

The 1-3 Panthers have opened up as 5.5-point underdogs to the 2-2 San Francisco 49ers for their Week 5 matchup.

The Carolina Panthers are about to enter a particularly tough stretch—with three of the NFC’s four reigning semifinalists awaiting them in the coming weeks. So, you can pretty much bet (perhaps literally) that they’ll be the underdogs throughout this daunting gauntlet.

It all begins at Bank of America Stadium for Week 5, where the Panthers will host the visiting and favored San Francisco 49ers. Tipico Sportsbook, as of late Monday night, has Carolina as 5.5-point dogs in the matchup.

Fresh off a loss to the Arizona Cardinals, one plagued by a dull offensive showing, the Panthers are now 1-3 on the young campaign. Their 26-16 defeat was headlined by yet another poor outing from quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Mayfield completed 22 of his 36 throws for 197 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He also had five of those incompletions batted—the most in a single game, per Pro Football Focus, over the last five seasons.

Unfortunately, Mayfield and his struggling offense will have, perhaps, the NFL’s best defense awaiting them. In moving to 2-2, the 49ers shut down the Los Angeles Rams—holding the defending champions to just nine points while registering seven sacks and two takeaways.

The odds, in more ways than one, certainly aren’t in Carolina’s favor.

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Panthers open as favorites over Cardinals in Week 4

Tipico Sportsbook opened up the Panthers (1-2) as Week 4 favorites over the visiting Cardinals (1-2).

Winning cures everything, including those unflattering betting lines.

Fresh off their first victory of the 2022 regular season—a 22-14 triumph over the NFC South rival New Orleans Saints—the Carolina Panthers have been set as 2.5-point favorites by Tipico Sportsbook for their next contest. That outing comes in Week 4, against the visiting Arizona Cardinals.

Arizona (1-2) dropped their Week 3 divisional matchup against the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams, 20-12. The Cardinals were held out of the end zone and bottled up for only 70 rushing yards—less than half of what the offense amassed in their Week 2 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Quarterback Kyler Murray hasn’t been particularly dangerous either. The 2019 first overall pick has averaged just 5.6 yards per pass attempt—which would be his career-low by over a yard—with three touchdowns.

Carolina (1-2) has faced their respective struggles on offense as well. Baker Mayfield has thrown for only 550 yards alongside a 51.9-percent completion rate (by far the worst of his career) over three starts.

What the Panthers haven’t struggled with, however, are the Cardinals. Carolina has won each of the past six meetings with Arizona, including a trio of victories in each of the past three campaigns.

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Panthers open as 2.5-point underdogs to Saints in Week 3

Tipico Sportsbook has opened the Panthers as 2.5-point underdogs to the Saints for Week 3.

Last year, the Carolina Panthers absolutely dominated the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium—holding their guests to a paltry and somewhat historic 128 net offensive yards in a 26-7 romp. Well, oddsmakers don’t quite see that happening again.

To open up Week 3, Tipico Sportsbook has set the current 0-2 Panthers as 2.5-point underdogs to the visiting 1-1 New Orleans Saints.

Carolina is fresh off yet another heartbreaking defeat, this time at the hands of the New York Giants. A 56-yard go-ahead field goal from former Panther Graham Gano sent his old employer to their second loss of 2022 and their ninth consecutive loss dating back to 2021.

Despite a bounce-back performance by their defense from the Week 1 debacle, the Panthers didn’t see much once again from its offense. Quarterback Baker Mayfield completed just 14 of his 29 throws for 145 yards and one touchdown.

New Orleans, who started the campaign with a comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons, fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the tune of a 20-10 tally on Sunday.

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Panthers now favored over Giants in Week 2

Following the release of today’s inactives, the Panthers are now 1.5-point favorites in their Week 2 matchup against the New York Giants.

With the NFL’s longest active losing streak in hand, the Carolina Panthers don’t deserve to have any benefit of the doubt at the moment. But a handful of inactives on their opponent’s side have given them exactly that this afternoon.

Following news of who will be on the sideline for the New York Giants, the Panthers have now been moved to 1.5-point favorites for the Week 2 matchup. Carolina entered the week as 2.5-point underdogs to the host G-Men.

Those G-Men will be down quite a few men, particularly on defense. New York has ruled out—most notably—rookie defensive end and 2022 first-round pick Kayvon Thibodeaux, starting outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari and starting cornerback Aaron Robinson.

Joining that trio will be defensive backs Nick McCloud and Jason Pinnock, wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson and offensive tackle Tyre Phillips.

Carolina fared much better in the active/inactive department. They will have wideout Shi Smith, who is expected to return punts on the day, in uniform.

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