The 2020 NFL season is nearly over and while the Baltimore Ravens haven’t quite played up to the expectations they had a few months ago, there’s still hope of something greater on the horizon. That shows up yet again in Week 14 as the Ravens are odds favorites over the Cleveland Browns.
According to BetMGM, Baltimore has a 3.5-point spread in their favor over the Browns.
Considering the game is being played in Cleveland, the Browns are 9-3 right now, and playing great football; that’s a bit of a shock. Oddsmakers typically add three points to the home team for field and crowd advantage, effectively making this a 6.5-point spread for those that don’t bet on sports.
Whether oddsmakers are still riding high on the Ravens’ chances to turn their season around and become like the team they were last season, or they don’t have any confidence in the Browns is unclear. But with the odds being so close, it’s a tough bet to make.
As with any AFC North showdown, you have to remove the current records because they’re no indication of how things will go. And though Baltimore has an 8-3 record against Cleveland since 2015, this isn’t the same Browns team and definitely not the same Ravens squad from even Week 1 of this season. Cleveland is on a four-game winning streak while Baltimore has lost three of their last four games but rebounded against the Dallas Cowboys last week to restart a potential winning streak.
There’s also the weight of this game on the playoffs. The Browns currently hold the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoff picture while the Ravens are on the outside looking in. Though this game wouldn’t mathematically eliminate anyone, a loss would be devastating for Baltimore’s playoff hopes. You better believe Cleveland would love to put another nail in the Ravens’ coffin this season while Baltimore would love nothing better than to earn a playoff spot at the Browns’ misfortune.
For those looking to bet on football, you might want to wait for next week. This game is just as liable to be extremely close in either teams’ favor as it is to be a blowout for either team.
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