Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns will look to remain unbeaten when they hit the road to take on Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a Week 3 preseason matchup at Raymond James Stadium on Friday. With both of these teams looking to get back in the playoffs after being left on the outside looking in a year ago, let’s find out which team is offering the best value against their NFL Odds in this contest.
Browns vs Buccaneers 2019 NFL Preseason Week 3 Odds, Game Info & Pick
- When: Friday August 23, 2019, 7:30 PM ET
- Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
- TV:
- Radio: Cleveland / Tampa Bay
- Live Stream: NFL Network
- NFL Preseason Week 3 Odds: Cleveland -1.5 / Total: 43
Weather Forecast
- PM Thunderstorms: 33°C/91°F
- Humidity: 71%
- Precipitation: 40%
- Wind: 7 mph ENE
- Cloud Cover: 43%
- Type of Stadium: Open
Why Bet On Cleveland at -1.5?
The Browns looked great in their 30-10 preseason-opening win over Washington two weeks ago and they backed that up by getting past Indianapolis 21-18 in a tight affair last weekend. With Baker Mayfield sitting out, backup Garrett Gilbert went 13 of 18 for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Third-stringer David Blough went 7 of 12 for 74 yards with one touchdown.
“I was very happy with Garrett. He came in and had control of the huddle, got the guys lined up, made some plays, made the plays he was supposed to make, and limited the mistakes,” Kitchens said. “I think given the circumstances, David Blough did also.”
The Browns are hoping to take another step forward in 2019 following last season’s encouraging 7-8-1 in Mayfield’s rookie season. Cleveland finished 20th in scoring (22.4 ppg) and 21st in points allowed (24.5 ppg) last season, but they’ve also got a boatload of young talent, thanks to the fact that they have two of the last three No. 1 overall picks and five first round picks over the last three drafts overall.
Why Bet On Tampa Bay at +1.5?
The Buccaneers got their first win of the preseason by getting past Miami 16-14 in Week 2 following their narrow 30-28 loss against Pittsburgh in their scrimmage opener. After starting quarterback Jameis Winston went 2 for 4 for 24 yards in limited action, third stringer Ryan Griffin completed 14 of 21 passes for 201 yards and one touchdown.
“Most teams, when you give up that touchdown and 2-point conversion, you go in the tank,” Bucs coach Bruce Arians said. “Offensive guys had a plan, they were ready to go. They went and won the game. Winning is fun in this league.”
The Bucs are heading in a new direction under the widely-respected Bruce Arians after going 5-11 in their final year under formerly overmatched head coach Dirk Koetter. Tampa Bay finished an encouraging 12th in scoring in 2018 (24.8 ppg) but an awful 31s in points allowed (29.0 ppg).
Browns vs Buccaneers NFL Preseason Week 3 Betting Trends
- Browns are 5-1 ATS in the last 6 games
- Browns are 5-1 SU in the last 6 games
- The total went UNDER in 6 of the Browns’ last 7 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
- Buccaneers are 1-5-1 ATS in the last 7 games played on a Friday
- Buccaneers are 1-5 SU in the last 6 games
- The total went UNDER in 6 of the Buccaneers’ last 8 games
Expert Analysis and Prediction for Browns vs Buccaneers
I know everyone is fired up about Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns heading into 2019, but I’m also thinking Tampa Bay and Jameis Winston in particular, could surprise in a big way under Bruce Arians this coming season.
I know the Browns are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games, but the Buccaneers are an encouraging 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall and 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings against the Browns. More importantly, I’m thinking Jameis Winston and the Bucs’ first-string offense are going to want to have an impressive performance in what will almost certainly be Winston’s only meaningful action this preseason. I like the Bucs for the outright win, so the fact that they’re getting some points makes this pick even more attractive.
Pick: Tampa Bay 23 Cleveland 21
