Las Vegas Raiders at Cleveland Browns Betting Preview

It has been quite a tumultuous week in the NFL as COVID-19 outbreaks are wreaking havoc on both teams and schedules. As of Friday night, three games had been rescheduled, including a matchup between the Las Vegas Raiders (6-7) and the Cleveland Browns (7-6).
The game between the two AFC playoff hopefuls will now take place on Monday, with kickoff scheduled for 5:00 pm ET from FirstEnergy Stadium. For Las Vegas, they come into this game having lost two in a row, including a 48-9 beatdown at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs last week.
In the loss, Derek Carr threw for just 263 yards, one touchdown, and an interception. The Raiders’ ground game was essentially nonexistent as Josh Jacobs led the attack with just 24 yards.
Possibly no team has been affected by the COVID resurgence more than the Browns. By Friday evening, there were 24 players that had been put on the COVID list.
This list included quarterback Baker Mayfield and wide receiver Jarvis Landry. Even head coach Kevin Stefanski had tested positive.
With the extra two days off, it is likely that some of the players may make it back for the game, but it is still very likely that the Browns are playing without their full complement of players.
Despite the unfortunate predicament that they find themselves in, the Browns are still the favorites. They are -112 to win Monday while the Raiders’ moneyline sits at -104. The spread features Las Vegas +1 (-110), and the over/under for total points is 41.5.
More Odds
Cleveland is currently +220 to win the AFC North. In terms of the Super Bowl, the Browns are +4100 to win it all while the Raiders are +21000.
By The Numbers
These two teams are neck-and-neck in terms of their offenses. The Raiders rank 18th in scoring averaging 21.8 points per game. The Browns rank 19th averaging 21.4 points.
Defensively, it is Cleveland with the advantage. They rank 14th in scoring defense allowing opponents an average of just 22.2 points per game (17.9 at home). The Raiders rank 21st allowing 27.7 points per game.
Raiders Hope To Use Frustrations To Pick Up Road Win
Last year, when dealing with their own COVID outbreak, the Raiders were forced to choose earlier in the day as opposed to having their game temporarily postponed. For that reason, both players and even owner Mark Davis are none too pleased about the delay.
Still, Las Vegas will look to move past the inconsistent COVID response and try to move to .500 on the season with a win Monday.
Leading the team under center is quarterback Derek Carr. On the season, Carr has thrown for 3,926 yards, 18 touchdowns, and ten interceptions.
Carr’s favorite receiver this season has been Hunter Renfrow. Thus far, Renfrow has 86 receptions for 877 yards and five touchdowns.
On the ground, the Raiders look to Josh Jacobs to get their rushing attack going. It hasn’t been the best season for Jacobs, though, as he has just 496 yards on 133 attempts, although he does have seven touchdowns.
Who Will Play For Browns?
This is the million-dollar question for Browns’ fans. With the NFL and NFLPA agreeing to some adjustments to the testing protocol, there is a chance that the Browns could get some key players back, but that is far from certain.
One of the biggest questions is who will play quarterback. Both Baker Mayfield and Case Keenum have hit the COVID-19 list. If neither can test negative twice, it could be Nick Mullens getting the start.
Mullens has not taken a snap this season, although he did play in 10 games for the 49ers last year. In those ten games, he threw for 2,437 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
One player that is currently not on a COVID list is running back Nick Chubb. He has been the workhorse for the Browns this season, rushing for 926 yards on 167 carries. He also has six touchdowns on the ground.
Take The Raiders To Win On The Road
This is one of those games where you absolutely have to keep an eye on who is eligible to play and who isn’t. If all things were equal and both sides were at full strength, this is a game that the Browns should win.
With that not being the case, though, the Raiders may be the smart bet as they are much more likely to have their regulars playing than Cleveland.
Again, watch the actives and inactives, but as it currently stands, the Raiders picking up the road win is the smart play.