Browns vs Broncos NFL Week 15 Lines & Game Preview

Browns vs Broncos NFL Week 15 Lines & Game Preview

Written by on December 11, 2018

The second game of the Saturday NFL doubleheader features the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos facing off for the first time since 2015. Both are alive in the playoff hunt but only mathematically. The winner would still need a miracle to get in. The Broncos are solid Mybookie Sportsbook favorites.

Browns vs Broncos NFL Week 15 Lines & Game Preview

Seahawks vs 49ers NFL Week 15 Odds & Game Prediction

Weather Forecast

  • Partly Cloudy: 4°C/40°F
  • Humidity: 41%
  • Precipitation: 0%
  • Cloud Cover: 41%
  • Wind: 5 mph WSW
  • Stadium Type: Open

Last Meeting

In 2015, the Browns were 26-23 OT home losers to the Broncos. Peyton Manning shook off three interceptions, including one early in overtime, and drove Denver’s offense in range for Brandon McManus to kick a 34-yard field goal with 4:56 left. After Manning’s third pick, Denver recorded a tackle behind the line of scrimmage and then had two consecutive sacks of Josh McCown to push the Browns out of field-goal range.

Manning finished 26 of 48 for 290 yards and the one TD, a 75-yarder to Emmanuel Sanders. Of course, Manning is retired now. McCown went 20 of 39 for 213 yards with two touchdowns to tight end Gary Barnidge. McCown is now a backup with the Jets.

Why Bet on Cleveland?

The Browns improved to 3-2 under interim coach Gregg Williams with Sunday’s 26-21 win over Carolina. Rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield completed 18 of 22 passes (81.8 percent) for 238 yards with one touchdown and zero interceptions for a 126.9 passer rating. Mayfield has thrown at least one touchdown pass in each of his first 10 career starts and joined Hall of Famer Kurt Warner (1999) and Brad Johnson (1996-97) as the only quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era with a touchdown pass in each of his first 10 career starts. Mayfield is the first Browns quarterback with a TD pass in 10 straight starts since Bernie Kosar in 1987.

Of Mayfield’s four incompletions, one was dropped by Rashard Higgins and Mayfield threw another away. Another hit David Njoku in the hands but wasn’t officially ruled a drop. The Browns improved to 4-2-1 at home, their second-best winning percentage at FirstEnergy Stadium (since 1999) in a season.

Nick Chubb rushed 13 times for 66 yards and a touchdown, adding four receptions for 17 additional yards. With his 4-yard touchdown run, Chubb now has a TD in five consecutive games, the longest streak by a Browns player since Greg Pruitt in 1975. Jarvis Landry caught 3-of-4 targets for 57 yards and a touchdown, adding two carries for 54 yards and an additional score. Landry also lost a fumble and nearly tossed an end zone interception on a trick play. Landry became the first Browns player since Leroy Hoard in 1991 to have a rush and reception go for more than 50 yards.

Landry has recorded at least two receptions in each of his past 76 games, the second-longest active streak in the NFL. His 469 receptions are the most all-time by an NFL player through their first five seasons. Landry is leading the team in receptions (69) and receiving yards (790) this season. His 69 receptions are tied for the sixth-most by a Brown through the first 14 weeks.

Browns coach Gregg Williams hopes Denzel Ward (concussion) will play this week against the Broncos. Ward, the No. 4 overall pick who is having a great rookie year, was out vs. Carolina.

Why Bet on Denver?

The Broncos were 20-14 upset losers in San Francisco, which all but ended their playoff hopes. Case Keenum completed 24-of-42 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown. He entered halftime an embarrassing 7-of-15 for 43 yards. Keenum was struggling even before Emmanuel Sanders’ injury, and his No. 1 wideout’s loss further weakens Keenum.

Broncos coach Vance Joseph wants Keenum to be more aggressive and worry less about mistakes. no. “He’s got to take more chances downfield,” Joseph said Monday. “He would agree with that.” Keenum’s longest completion was 21 yards vs. the Niners — just 5 yards longer than his longest run of the afternoon — and posted his lowest yards per attempt output of the season.

Browns vs Broncos should be a close one.

Phillip Lindsay rushed 14 times for 30 yards and a touchdown in the Broncos’ Week 14 loss to the 49ers, adding four receptions for 21 additional yards. It was by far Lindsay’s worst performance of the season. DaeSean Hamilton caught 7-of-9 targets for 47 yards and a touchdown. Filling in as the Broncos’ No. 2 receiver/slot man, fourth-round rookie Hamilton nearly doubled his 2018 production in one afternoon.   Broncos CB Isaac Yiadom is expected to miss Week 15 with a separated shoulder. They’ll have to turn back to journeyman Tramaine Brock on Saturday night against the Browns. Brock was previously benched for Yiadom, a third-round pick. The Broncos are already without top CB Chris Harris (fibula).   The Broncos have losses to the 4-9 New York Jets and the 3-10 49ers and wins over the Chargers (10-3) and Steelers (7-5-1). Denver must win out and get a lot of help to make the playoffs.

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Browns vs Broncos NFL Week 15 Betting Trends

  • Browns are 4-11 ATS vs. a team with a losing record
  • Browns are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 road games vs. a team with a losing home record
  • Broncos are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. AFC
  • Broncos are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 Saturday games
  • Cleveland is 1-24 SU in its last 25 games on the road
  • The total has gone OVER in 14 of Cleveland’s last 21 games on the road
  • Denver is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games
  • The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Denver’s last 5 games

Expert NFL Betting Prediction for Browns vs Broncos

Buy this down to -2.5 and take Denver.