Tag: Cleveland Browns

Bragging rights on the line for QBs in game between Cardinals, Browns

The two starting QBs were former teammates at Oklahoma.

The Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns play this weekend at State Farm Stadium and one of many storylines is the one of the two teams’ starting quarterbacks. The Browns have Baker Mayfield and the Cardinals have Kyler Murray. Both were teammates at Oklahoma in college. Both were Heisman Trophy winners. Both were drafted first overall.

While both obviously want to win this game for professional reasons, there is a little extra because of the personal connection.

“This is real bragging rights,” Mayfield told reporters this week. “Being in the same quarterback room for a few years and razzing each other back and forth. It’s going to be a fun one.”

Murray, who is not nearly as talkative as his former teammate, when asked if the game was important for bragging rights, simply said, “Yeah, for sure.”

“It’s going to be fun,” he said. “I haven’t seen him in a while, so I’m looking forward to that, but at the same time, it’s kind of special just being able to be on the same field, opposing teams, and just playing against him is obviously special.”

The Cardinals and Browns only play each other once every four years so whoever wins will get to hold it over the other for a while.

No matter what the outcome is, there is sure to be a fond reunion on the field after the game.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 251:

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Ep. 250:

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Browns DC Steve Wilks has no extra emotions in return to Arizona

He isn’t admitting it, at least.

When the 2019 schedule came out for the Arizona Cardinals, one of the dates many had circled for a number of reasons was December 15 when the Cleveland Browns come to town. There are a number of storylines that connect the two teams. Quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray were college teammates, Heisman Trophy winners and No. 1 overall picks. Murray played under Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury before transferring after losing his starting job. There are a number of former Cardinals coaches and players on the Browns coaching staff.

That includes defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, who was fired by the Cardinals as their head coach after one season.

Many have dubbed this game as the Steve Wilks Revenge Game.

Wilks downplayed the return to Arizona when he spoke with reporters Thursday.

“To be honest, I do not really have emotions in regards to this week,” he said. “I want to win this game just like I wanted to win last week’s game, just like I wanted to win the first game against Tennessee. My focus is trying to get these guys in position to be successful. Hopefully, we can go out there and get a win.”

This is almost believable. Wilks, as we learned in his year as head coach, is very good about keeping things in focus and being methodical about his approach. He wants to win every game. However, there has to be a little more invested in this game, as it is the team who fired him despite giving him a bad team to coach.

He will surely have his defense ready to play.

And while he might be any more emotional outwardly, internally this game will have to mean a little more than the others.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 251:

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Ep. 250:

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Report: Odell Beckham Jr. ‘not afraid’ of a return to New York

Cleveland Browns WR Odell Beckham Jr. is reportedly “not afraid” of a return to New York if traded.

When the New York Giants traded wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns in March, many assumed that was the end of his relationship with the franchise and assumed there would be no going back.

As it turns out, that might not be the case at all.

Although the Browns have allegedly drawn a line in the sand and insist they have no plans on trading Beckham (we’ve heard that before), Ralph Vacchiano of SNY reports that OBJ is ‘not afraid’ of returning to New York if he’s dealt.

And no, that does not necessarily mean the New York Jets.

“As we are watching the game last week, we learned that Odell Beckham, an old friend of New York, is unhappy in Cleveland and might look to be traded during the offseason,” said Vacchiano. “Now, from what I’ve heard, the Cleveland Browns are drawing a line in the sand and are not going to trade him. At least that’s what they say now. But we do know that the Jets need a number one receiver and from what I’m told by people who know Beckham, he is not afraid of a return to New York. That doesn’t mean he wants to come to the Jets.”

Beckham is currently mired in the worst season of his professional career and there have been rumblings for weeks that he wants out of Cleveland. It’s clear he’s not a fit in their offense and his chemistry with quarterback Baker Mayfield is lacking.

Still, a return to the Giants? A trade to the Jets? Both scenarios seem unlikely, but so did Dave Gettleman trading away Beckham in the first place.

A potential trade of Beckham — possibly even back to New York — is just one of many things to keep an eye on this coming offseason.

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Browns injury report: Odell Beckham, Jarvis Landry limited for 2nd day in a row

Check out the second injury report of the week as they prepare for the Cardinals.

The Cleveland Browns released their second injury report of the week. Not a lot changed for them, although one key offensive player was upgraded. One player sat out and five were limited for Cleveland.

Did not practice

  • C J.C. Tretter (knee)

This could be a problem for Cleveland. He missed practice for the second day in a row.

Limited

  • WR Odell Beckham Jr. (groin)
  • T Chris Hubbard (knee)
  • WR Jarvis Landry (hip)
  • DB Eric Murray (knee)
  • DE Olivier Vernon (knee)

All these players were limited for the second day in a row.

Tight end David Njoku (knee) was upgraded to full participation on Thursday after being limited Wednesday. He will pose a matchup problem for the Cardinals.

Receiver KhaDarel Hodges also was upgraded to full participation after being limited Wednesday with an illness.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 251:

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Ep. 250:

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Cleveland Browns at Arizona Cardinals odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Sunday’s Cleveland Browns at Arizona Cardinals sports betting odds and lines, with Week 15 NFL betting picks, tips and bets.

The Cleveland Browns (6-7) and Arizona Cardinals (3-9-1) will do battle at State Farm Stadium Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET. We analyze the Browns-Cardinals sports betting odds and lines, with NFL betting picks and tips for the Week 15 matchup.

Browns at Cardinals: Week 15 preview, betting trends and notes

Get some action on the game at BetMGM by placing a sports bet!

  • The Browns are technically still alive in the AFC Wild Card picture, but they need to win out and get help from opponents of the Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans, among others.
  • Cleveland has posted a 3-1-1 ATS mark across the past five, and they’re 3-1-1 ATS in the past five as a favorite.
  • The Browns have posted a 5-2 ATS mark across the past seven against teams with a losing overall record, but they’re 0-4 ATS in the past four on the road.
  • Arizona is 4-0 ATS in the past four against losing teams, but 1-5 ATS in the past six in the month of December.
  • The Over is 3-1-1 in the past five for the Browns against teams with a losing record, and 9-4 in the past 13 on the road against teams with a losing home mark.
  • The Over is 5-1 in the past six for the Cardinals against losing sides, but the Under is 24-11 in the past 35 at home for Arizona.

Browns at Cardinals: Key injuries

Browns: WR Odell Beckham Jr. (groin) is dealing with a nagging groin injury, while WR Jarvis Landry (hip) is nursing a sore hip. Neither is believed to be in jeopardy of missing this game.

Cardinals: S Budda Baker (hamstring) and LB Terrell Suggs (back/illness) missed practice time mid-week, and they’re more of an uncertainty. WR Christian Kirk (ankle) is also a question mark.

Browns at Cardinals: Odds, betting lines and prediction

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 7:35 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Browns 25, Cardinals 19

Moneyline (?)

The BROWNS (-143) have a lot more on the line, and they have a tremendous rushing attack which will make the difference. The Cardinals rank 24th against the rush, allowing 120.5 yards per game on the ground, and they’re dead-last against the pass, yielding 294.2 yards per game while giving up 414.7 total yards per contest, also 32nd in the NFL.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on the Bucs moneyline returns a $6,99 profit with a Cleveland victory.

Against the Spread (?)

The BROWNS (-2.5, -121) are a nice play as long as this line stays below a field goal. They’re also a tremendous teaser option in this must-win game against the Cardinals (+2.5, +100). If you can get a seven-point teaser and toss the Browns in, they’ll be that much more attractive.

Over/Under (?)

UNDER 48.5 (-115) is the play, as this line is a bit high. While yes, Arizona’s defense leaves a lot to be desired, its offense has only been so-so. The same can be said for Cleveland’s offense, which was expected to be a juggernaut, but has been inconsistent for most of the season outside of RB Nick Chubb, who is superb.

Want action on this game? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. Looking for more sports betting picks and tips? Visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Kliff Kingsbury: Browns ‘as dominant as any team in the league’

“You always prepare for their high end, and when they’re playing like that, they’re as talented and as good as anybody in the league.”

The Arizona Cardinals are preparing to play the 6-7 Cleveland Browns this weekend in their home finale. Cleveland has been an inconsistent team this year but they are not a team the Cardinals should overlook.

Some suggest that with the high variance in the quality of play of the Browns, they would be difficult to scout and prepare for.

Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury doesn’t see it that way. He sees a very talented team who has a pair of wins that are as good as any win by any team in the league.

“It’s not difficult to scout, simply because you can show your team those two big wins that they had,” he told reporters on Wednesday. ‘They looked as dominant as any team in the league when you’re talking about the Baltimore and Buffalo games. You point to those and say, ‘This is what they can be, so we better prepare for that.’ I wouldn’t say it’s difficult. You always prepare for their high end, and when they’re playing like that, they’re as talented and as good as anybody in the league.”

Two of the Browns’ wins this season are over two of the best teams in the AFC.

They absolutely overwhelmed the Baltimore Ravens, beating them 40-25 in Week 4 and then also beat the Buffalo Bills last month 19-16.

Cleveland is a team with a high ceiling. They have talent on both sides of the ball and had high expectations entering the year. They have underachieved at 6-7, although they still have a chance at a winning season, something the Browns haven’t had since 2007.

A Cardinals win would end that possibility.

At 3-9-1, the Cardinals can’t exactly overlook anyone. They are capable of beating the Browns but this weekend they face an opponent who is just as likely to blow them out as they are to lose in the Cardinals’ home finale.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 251:

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Browns injury report: 2 sit out, 7 limited on Wednesday

Check out the Browns’ first injury report of the week.

The Cleveland Browns began their week of practice to prepare for the Arizona Cardinals. Their first injury report of the week is lengthy. Two players sat out and another seven were limited.

Did not practice

  • C J.C. Tretter (knee)
  • LB Sione Takitaki (illness)

Tretter has not missed a game this season. He missed practice on Wednesday last week and was questionable, but he played Sunday.

Limited

  • WR Odell Beckham JR (groin)
  • WR KhaDarel Hodge (achilles)
  • T Chris Hubbard (knee)
  • WR Jarvis Landry (hip)
  • DB Eric Murray (knee)
  • TE David Njoku (knee)
  • DE Olivier Vernon (knee)

Hubbard, Murray and Vernon all missed the game on Sunday.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

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NFL Week 15: 11 bold predictions

Lots on the line as Week 15 of the NFL approaches, whether it is playoff or draft position battles.

The 15th week of the NFL season arrives with many teams scrambling to try and find their way into the postseason. Then, there are those who are fairly sure they will be playing after Week 17 but want to set themselves up with a sweet seed.

The Rams will rule the Cowboys

There is absolutely no reason to believe Jerry Jones, Jason Garrett and Dallas are going to fix all the parts that have gone wrong. Meanwhile, Sean McVay is wisely putting his faith in Todd Gurley and being rewarded with a rush of victories.

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Cardinals are underdogs at home vs. Browns

The Cardinals have begun every single week as underdogs this season.

For the 14th consecutive game, the Arizona Cardinals begin the week as underdogs. According to BetMGM, they are 2.5-point underdogs at home in Week 15 against the Cleveland Browns.

They were also 2.5-point underdogs at home last weekend against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who beat them 23-17.

Betting the moneyline, the Browns are a -143 and the Cardinals are at +120, meaning a bet on them to win outright would earn $12 profit for every $10 wagered.

Oddsmakers expect this game to be high-scoring. The point total is set at 48.5.

The Cardinals are 7-5-1 this season in terms of their record against the point spread. They are pretty even in terms of the over/under. They are 7-6 o/u. Their last two games have gone under the point total after three straight contests going over.

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

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WATCH: Bill Belichick claims ‘zero involvement’ with video crew incident

News broke that Patriots’ cameras directly filmed the Bengals’ sideline during Sunday’s game between the Bengals and Browns in Cleveland.

Bill Belichick claims he has “zero involvement” with what’s shaping up to be SpyGate 2.0 for the New England Patriots.

The Pats released a statement Monday night acknowledging that a team film crew “inappropriately filmed” the field and Cincinnati sideline during the Bengals-Browns game in Cleveland on Sunday. The statement claims that the crew was credentialed to be in Cleveland to feature one of the Patriots’ advance scouts on the job for a web series called “Do Your Job.”

The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. reported Tuesday that the video captured includes eight minutes of footage focusing on the Bengals’ sideline, providing a clear view of coaches signaling for plays.

In a conference call with Cincinnati media on Tuesday, Belichick said, “We’re competitive and we’ll try to be competitive in every area. But we don’t knowingly, intentionally want to do anything that’s across the line.

Belichick also said Monday on WEEI in Boston:

“We have absolutely nothing to do with anything that they produce or direct or shoot. I have never seen any of their tapes or anything else. This is something that we 100 percent have zero involvement with.”