Tag: Olivier Vernon

Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Sunday’s Browns at Bengals NFL matchup, with NFL betting odds, picks and best bets

The Cleveland Browns (6-9) and host Cincinnati Bengals (1-14) will tangle at Paul Brown Stadium Sunday at 1 p.m. ET (on Fox). We analyze the Browns-Bengals sports betting odds and lines, with NFL betting picks and tips for the Week 17 matchup.

Browns at Bengals: Week 17 preview, betting trends and notes

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  • The Bengals wrapped up the No. 1 overall pick in 2020 NFL Draft with their overtime loss last week in Miami.
  • The Browns topped the Bengals 27-19 in Week 14, covering as 6.5-point favorites as the Over (43) connected.
  • The Browns are 0-5 against the spread in the past five road outings and 3-7-1 ATS in the past 11 games overall. They’re also 2-5-1 ATS in the past eight as a road favorite, and 1-4 ATS in the past five on the road against a team with a losing home record.
  • The Bengals are 1-4 ATS in the past five games overall, and 1-4 ATS in the past five inside the division. They’re also 1-5 ATS in the past six against teams with a losing record, and 1-6 ATS in the past seven at home.
  • The over has connected in four in a row for the Browns against losing teams.
  • The under is 12-3-1 for the Bengals in the past 16 as an underdog, and 10-4-2 in the past 16 vs. AFC.

Browns at Bengals: Key injuries

Browns: DE Olivier Vernon (knee), WR Odell Beckham Jr. (illness – expected to play) and TE Ricky Seals-Jones (illness) are all listed as questionable.

Bengals: CB William Jackson III (shoulder) has been ruled out for Week 17.

Browns at Bengals: Odds, betting lines and prediction

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Bengals 23, Browns 20

Moneyline (?)

The BENGALS (+125) can’t ruin their chances at the No. 1 overall pick with a win, and they showed last week in a hellacious comeback in Miami that they’re not throwing in the towel. The Browns (-154) have nothing to play for in this one and are primed for the taking.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on the moneyline returns a $12.50 profit with a Bengals victory.

Against the Spread (?)

The BENGALS (+2.5, +105) are plus-money at home, and therefore a pretty nice value. The Browns (-2.5, -129) haven’t been terribly consistent this season, and they’re especially erratic on the road.

Over/Under (?)

PASS. The 44.5 total is going to be close. If there was a lean, it would be to the under, which is actually 41-14-3 in the past 58 in December for Cleveland and 12-3-1 in Cincinnati’s past 16 as a ‘dog.

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Browns final injury report: Olivier Vernon ruled out, 2 OL questionable

Odell Beckham Jr. is good to go this weekend against the Cardinals.

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The Cleveland Browns come to town this weekend to play the Arizona Cardinals and released their final injury report of the week. Two players were ruled out and two are questionable for Cleveland.

Ruled out

  • DE Olivier Vernon (knee)
  • DB Eric Murray (knee)

Murray missed last week. With Myles Garrett suspended, Vernon being out limits the potential pass rush against the Cardinals.

Questionable

  • C J.C. Tretter (knee)
  • T Chris Hubbard (knee)

Hubbard was limited in practice all week. Tretter did not practice the first two days of the week and was limited on Friday. He missed one practice last week and was limited twice and still played in Week 14.

Receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was limited for the third day in a row with a groin injury but has no game designation. He has played all season battling through pain.

Everyone else practiced fully, including receiver Jarvis Landry (hip).

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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Olivier Vernon back at Browns practice for 1st time since Week 9

Starting DE Olivier Vernon practiced on a limited basis on Wednesday for the 1st time since injuring his knee in the Browns loss in Week 9

Wednesday’s practice session in Berea gave Browns fans a little something to be thankful for on Thanksgiving eve. Starting defensive end Olivier Vernon was back on the practice field, working out with the team for the first time in nearly a month.

Vernon has not practiced since injuring his knee near the end of the team’s Week 9 loss in Denver. The veteran pass rusher still isn’t back in full; Vernon was a limited participant. But it’s a step in the right direction to getting back on the field on Sundays for Vernon.

Chad Thomas and Bryan Cox played extensively in last week’s win over Miami in his absence. Sheldon Richardson also played more at end to help fill the void left by Vernon’s injury and Myles Garrett’s initial game missed due to suspension.

Olivier Vernon out vs. Dolphins, Browns will be without 3 DL starters

Chad Thomas, Chris Smith and Devaroe Lawrence will be starting vs. the Dolphins

The Cleveland Browns defensive line will look a lot different than a few weeks ago. Starting end Olivier Vernon will miss his third straight game with a knee injury. The Browns ruled out the veteran EDGE on Friday.

With fellow DE Myles Garrett and DT Larry Ogunjobi suspended for their personal fouls and ejections in Week 11, the Browns defensive line will feature just one regular starter, DT Sheldon Richardson.

Vernon has not even practiced since injuring his knee at the end of the team’s Week 9 loss in Denver.

Chad Thomas and Chris Smith will take over as the starting ends, while Devaroe Lawrence will assume Ogunjobi’s spot along the interior. The depth behind the replacement starters is scant, with Eli Ankou inside and recently signed Bryan Cox Jr. on the edge.

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Browns injury update: Olivier Vernon, Eric Murray still not practicing

The Browns could be without 3 starters on the DL vs. Miami

Already down two starters on the defensive line due to suspensions, the Browns could also be without starting DE Olivier Vernon for a third straight week.

Vernon missed Thursday’s practice session in Berea. He has been out since injuring his knee near the end of the loss to Denver in Week 9. It’s hard to envision Vernon playing against Miami on Sunday in FirstEnergy Stadium if he doesn’t return to at least limited duty in Friday’s final practice session.

If Vernon can’t go, the starting EDGEs figure to be Chad Thomas and Chris Smith, with Bryan Cox Jr. as the only healthy reserve currently on the active roster.

Defensive back Eric Murray also remains sidelined with a knee injury of his own. Murray has also missed the last two games.

They were the only two Browns players who did not participate on even a limited basis in Thursday’s practice.

How the Browns will replace Myles Garrett during his suspension

Olivier Vernon, Chad Thomas and others will need to step up

Now that Myles Garrett has been suspended indefinitely by the NFL, the Cleveland Browns will be without their top defensive lineman for the rest of the 2019 season. Replacing the NFL’s current sack leader will not be easy.

Getting Olivier Vernon back into the lineup at full strength will be the biggest help. Vernon has missed the last two games with a knee injury. Prior to that, he was consistently providing pressure off the edge opposite Garrett. In fact, he had more QB pressures on the season than Garrett did through Week 9.

Vernon has not shown the ability to finish his pressures this year, racking up three sacks. That will need to change. He is the best-suited Browns player to become the alpha pass rusher.

Chad Thomas has stepped up nicely in Vernon’s absence, but the pressure is now on the second-year EDGE to be a full-time starter. Thomas has a sack in each of the last two games and also broke up a 4th-down pass attempt (that Mason Rudolph essentially threw into him), so he is making some impact. It will be interesting to see if he can do it more consistently and eliminate the stretches where he’s too easily blocked.

Chris Smith will also need to step up. The veteran reserve has been very quiet in limited duty. Newcomer Bryan Cox Jr. is a bigger, stouter version of Genard Avery, who was traded away earlier this season.

There is still a chance the Browns could look outside the current team. Garrett’s suspension does leave a vacant spot on the 53-man roster. With no defensive linemen on the practice squad, there will probably be a move to at least add someone there.

Browns inactives for Week 11

The inactive players for the Cleveland Browns in the Week 11 visit from the Pittsburgh Steelers

Freddie Kitchens had a few choices to make in filling out the gameday inactives for the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night. With only DE Olivier Vernon and DB Eric Murray officially ruled out because of injury, Kitchens and the Browns had to sit some players who are healthy.

The short week of practice and rehab made it so neither Vernon nor Murray stood much of a chance of being healthy enough to play.

The full list of inactives from the Browns:

Here are the Steelers who will be sitting out Thursday night’s game, too:

Olivier Vernon officially ruled out for Week 11

Expect more of Chad Thomas, who played well vs. Buffalo

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The Browns defense will once again be without a key contributor when the Pittsburgh Steelers visit FirstEnergy Stadium on Thursday night. Starting defensive end Olivier Vernon has been ruled out for the Week 11 game with his lingering knee injury.

Vernon suffered the injury at the end of the Week 9 loss to the Denver Broncos. He missed Sunday’s win over the Buffalo Bills, replaced in the lineup by Chad Thomas. The second-year end played well, containing Josh Allen’s running and notching a sack. Expect more of Thomas against Pittsburgh and the less-mobile Mason Rudolph at QB.

The only other Browns player ruled out is defensive back Eric Murray, who is also battling a knee injury. Like Vernon, Murray did not practice all week.

Olivier Vernon, Eric Murray still out from Browns practice

The quick turnaround doesn’t give much time to heal for the injured Browns

The short week leading into the Thursday night game at FirstEnergy Stadium doesn’t give the Cleveland Browns much time to lick any wounds from last week. Tuesday’s walkthrough (in lieu of a full practice) saw both DE Olivier Vernon and CB Eric Murray still out from the session.

Vernon and Murray both missed the Week 10 win over the Buffalo Bills with knee injuries. With just one more practice before the game, it seems unlikely either will play against Pittsburgh on Thursday. Coach Freddie Kitchens seemed more optimistic on Vernon than Murray, however.

The only other player with a limited status listing is tight end Ricky Seals-Jones. He also missed Week 10 with a knee injury. Kitchens termed Seals-Jones as “probably a game time decision” in his press address.