Cleveland Browns vs Denver Broncos Betting Pick & Prediction 12/2/24

On Monday, December 2nd, the Browns and Broncos will face off on ESPN at 8:15 ET. The Broncos are the favorite with a point spread of -5.5, and the Browns’ money line odds are +197. This week 13 AFC matchup is being played at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver. The over/under line is set at 42 points.

CLEVELAND BROWNS VS DENVER BRONCOS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Cleveland Browns +5.5

This game will be played at Empower Field at Mile High at 8:15 ET on Monday, December 2nd.

WHY BET THE CLEVELAND BROWNS:

• We have the Browns winning this one by a score of 23 to 13
• Not only do we have the Browns winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at +5.5
• We see this game finishing below the line of 42 points

Will The Browns Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs

After snapping a three-game losing streak with a win over the Steelers in week 12, the Browns are now 3-8 this season. They have a -7.4 scoring margin and are 21st in our power rankings, giving them just a 1% chance of making the playoffs. Cleveland is 2-1 in division games but sits last in the AFC North standings.

Against the spread, the Browns are 4-7, with all four of their ATS wins coming as underdogs. They were +3.5 vs. Pittsburgh in week 12. Their O/U record is 5-6, with the over hitting in their last two games.

Heading into week 13, the Browns rank 31st in our offensive power rankings. They are 28th in the NFL in scoring, averaging 16.9 points per game, and 29th in total yards, with 292.5 per game. Despite ranking 3rd in passing attempts, Cleveland is 21st in passing yards per game. On the ground, they are 29th in rushing yards per game, with 88.2, on 22.8 attempts per game, which ranks 26th in the league. The Browns have struggled on 3rd down, converting just 27% of their attempts, which ranks last in the NFL, but they lead the league with a 66.7% red zone conversion rate.

Jameis Winston threw for 219 yards in week 12, completing 18 of 27 passes with 1 interception. Nick Chubb rushed for 59 yards and 2 touchdowns on 20 carries, while Jerry Jeudy had 6 catches for 85 yards. Cleveland scored 14 points in the 4th quarter against the Steelers, after being shut out in the 1st and 3rd quarters.

In their 24-19 win over the Steelers, the Browns’ defense allowed 368 total yards, with Pittsburgh going for 248 yards through the air on 21 completions. Cleveland defended the run well, giving up just 3.5 yards per attempt and 120 yards on 34 attempts. The Browns also recorded four sacks and held the Steelers to a 43.8% third-down conversion rate.

Cleveland’s defense pressured the quarterback effectively, coming out ahead in quarterback hits and recording 10 tackles for loss. Despite allowing a high completion percentage of 72.4%, the Browns limited big plays and held the Steelers to just one touchdown.

Are The Broncos Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?

With two straight wins, the Broncos are now 7-5 on the season, including a 29-19 victory over the Raiders in week 12. Denver entered that matchup as 5.5-point favorites and covered the spread, bringing their ATS record to 9-3. They’ve covered in three consecutive games and are 5-0 against the spread when favored.

Our projections give the Broncos a 63.1% chance of making the playoffs, but just a 0.4% chance of winning the AFC West. Denver is 23rd in our NFL power rankings and is 3rd in the division with a 2-2 record. They are 3-2 at home and 4-3 on the road.

Heading into week 13, the Broncos are 22nd in our offensive power rankings. They are 18th in the NFL in points per game, averaging 22, and rank 23rd in both passing yards (201.9) and rushing yards (111.6) per game. Denver ranks 21st in third-down conversions, with a 37.3% success rate, and is 22nd in red zone conversion percentage, despite being 7th in red zone attempts. They have struggled early in games, ranking 25th in first-quarter scoring.

Bo Nix has been solid at quarterback, throwing for 273 yards and 2 touchdowns in week 12 against the Raiders, with no interceptions. He posted a passer rating of 94 after ratings of 145 in week 11 and 115 in week 10. Courtland Sutton led the team with 8 catches for 97 yards and 2 touchdowns in week 12.

The Broncos’ defense played well in their most recent game, coming up with five sacks and holding the Raiders to a 28.6% third-down conversion rate. Despite giving up 300 passing yards on 31 completions, they still managed to limit Las Vegas to just 19 points in their 29-19 win. Denver’s run defense was also strong, allowing only 69 yards on 16 attempts.

They also came away with one interception and limited the Raiders to a 58.5% completion percentage. Additionally, the Broncos’ defense was able to generate 8 more QB hits than the Raiders, even though they did lose the tackles for loss battle.