The Browns and Jaguars head into Sunday’s game without announcing a starter, but it does sound like, from all indications, it will be Joe Flacco and Trevor Lawrence starting.
After the quarterback, a group of Browns is listed as questionable for Sunday’s tilt, including Denzel Ward, Amari Cooper, Cam Mitchell, and Dawand Jones. Ward has been dearly missed, and it sounds optimistic that he will play.
Cooper was a pleasant surprise seeing he might play as it was written off by most that he would not be available.
The Browns had a two-game road swing and only got one sack, no sacks on the defensive line, and it has been a big storyline this week, along with the defense overall having a bad road trip.
This is a very tough game to get a feel for, and with the Steelers losing, this gives the Browns an excellent opportunity to gain ground on a playoff spot.
The Browns have not fared well against the Jaguars, with a 6-12 record. Jags have not lost on the road in 2023.
I hate this as I don’t think the Browns will win. 20-13 Jacksonville, and I would stay away from this game as a gambler.
The Cleveland Browns are striving to break a two-game losing streak in this matchup. After securing three consecutive victories, including a surprising win on the road against the Ravens, the team suffered a 29-12 defeat to the Broncos two weeks ago and a 36-19 loss to the Rams as four-point underdogs last Sunday. Although they are now trailing by two games in the division, they currently hold a wildcard spot. The Browns managed to cover the spread in two of their last three games.
Facing the rest of the season without their primary quarterback, Deshaun Watson, the Browns had backup QB Dorian Thompson Robinson on the sidelines last week due to a concussion, but he is listed as probable for the upcoming game. In three games, Thompson-Robinson has accumulated 429 passing yards with a 1:4 touchdown to interception ratio. Last week, Joe Flacco took the starting role, amassing 254 passing yards with two touchdowns and one interception. The Browns have yet to announce the starting quarterback for the upcoming game.
The rushing duties will be shared between Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt. Ford, who leads the team with 647 rushing yards, is expected to carry the ball around 10 times per game. Meanwhile, Hunt has struggled, recording 334 yards with an average of 3.3 yards per rush. The availability of wide receiver Amari Cooper is uncertain after he left last week’s game due to a concussion. Cooper has accumulated 799 receiving yards this season. The Cleveland offense has been struggling, scoring 19 or fewer points in three consecutive games, including a 13-point performance in their last home game.
While the Browns’ defense has shown some vulnerability in the last two games, it remains one of the top units in the NFL. They allowed 29 points to the Broncos and 399 total yards against the Rams. The status of cornerback Denzel Ward is probable. The pass defense ranks first, but the rush defense is not as formidable, standing at 13th.
On the season, Cleveland is averaging 21.5 points, placing them 18th in the league, while they are holding opponents to 20.4 points, positioning them 10th in the NFL.
The Jacksonville Jaguars aim to maintain their unbeaten record on the road this season. After a recent home defeat against the 49ers, they bounced back with victories over the Titans and a significant away win against the Texans two weeks ago. However, their momentum was disrupted last week when they suffered a 34-31 overtime home loss to the Bengals, marking them as a 10-point favorite. The team now holds just a one-game lead over the Colts in the division and has covered the spread in two of their last three games.
In the latest game, quarterback Trevor Lawrence sustained an ankle injury late on Monday night after amassing 258 passing yards. The 24-year-old QB has been having an impressive season with 3004 passing yards and a 14:7 TD to INT ratio. Lawrence is currently listed as questionable, and if he is unable to play, CJ Beathard will step in. The 30-year-old QB, who previously started games with the 49ers, would take the helm.
Running back Travis Etienne Jr. has struggled to make an impact on the ground, recording only 45 rushing yards last week and reaching 80 yards in just two instances this season. With 771 rushing yards at an average of 3.8 yards per rush, his performance has been below expectations. Wide receiver Christian Kirk, who led the team with 788 receiving yards, suffered an injury on Monday, ruling him out for the remainder of the regular season. Calvin Ridley, with 689 receiving yards, is now the primary replacement. Despite these challenges, the Jacksonville offense has exceeded 30 points in two of their last three games.
In November, the Jaguars’ defense showcased strong performances by limiting the Steelers to 10 points and the Texans to 21. However, they faced difficulties in the last game, conceding 318 passing yards to Bengals backup QB Jake Browning and a total of 491 yards. The pass defense ranks 30th, while the rush defense holds the sixth position.
Jacksonville maintains an average of 23.8 points per game, placing them ninth in the league, but concedes an average of 21.6 points, positioning them 20th.
Elijah Moore nearly doubled his receiving projection, while Dustin Hopkins made two more field goals for another 2-0 sweep. That makes it 11 out of the last 12 picks that we’ve hit over the last six games, with Jerome Ford missing his rushing attempt line after gaining eight on the first drive. With Joe Flacco under center again, here are two more bets for Browns vs. Jaguars Week 14.
Sticking with Elijah Moore again this week, who had a season-high 83 yards on a season-high 12 targets. Moore has covered this line in seven of eight career games with Flacco, having at least six targets in six of the eight games. Jacksonville is 25th in yards allowed to receivers this year, and the Browns are likely to be throwing often.
Dustin Hopkins covered this line in all but one game this year, and that came in the debut of Dorian Thompson-Robinson on short notice versus the Ravens. Hopkins is 92% on field goals this year, and the Browns are going to settle for points whenever possible. The Browns should be able to move the ball relatively well and should give Hopkins at least two attempts on the day.
The Browns are going with the veteran Flacco against a beat-up Trevor Lawrence and need to get back on the winning track. The Jaguars are dealing with injuries like the Browns, and the keys remain the same: stop the run, run the ball effectively, and win the turnover margin to come away with a win. Flacco will make enough plays and navigate them through it the entire time; the rest of the team just needs to make enough plays. A win positions them very nicely to secure a playoff spot, but they will need a clean game on both sides to get it done.
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