Browns vs. Broncos Predictions, Picks & Odds: Monday Night Football, 12/2
The Week 13 slate was a bit more spread out due to Thanksgiving Week, but it still wraps up in the same way - with Monday Night Football. This week, we have the Denver Broncos hosting the Cleveland Browns as the former tries to maintain in the AFC Wild Card race. As we get ready for the prime time matchup, we’ve got our Browns vs. Broncos predictions for you.
We’ll expand into the best bet from our Browns vs. Broncos picks AND provide a multi-gifted FanDuel Sportsbook welcome offer, so make sure to check out everything below!
Browns vs. Broncos Predictions for Monday Night Football, NFL Week 13
As soon as fans see the matchup for Week 13 Monday Night Football, at least in most cases, the first thought is likely that we don’t have a very exciting game on the horizon. Even with Denver exceeding expectations with a rookie QB, they are still a defensively-focused football team.
The same is the case with Cleveland, but even still, the total for this matchup isn’t quite as low as some might expect. The Browns vs. Broncos odds also provide us with quite a significant home favorite, but is it a case of being a prisoner of the moment given Denver’s recent wins?
That’s what our Browns vs. Broncos picks will help answer, but first, more regarding each side of this matchup.
Cleveland Browns: Jameis The Spirit Lifter
Starting with Cleveland means starting with the guy that frankly, gets his team started and ready for each and every game. Despite being all but out of the playoff hunt, the Browns still pulled off the upset over the division rival Pittsburgh Steelers in their most recent matchup.
That was a great snow game for Thursday Night Football, and they’ll be looking to play spoiler once again as clear underdogs. By now, most fans have seen clips and videos of QB Jameis Winston and his motivational speeches prior to games, and no matter the situation, he always seems to find a way to get the Browns barking.
Denver Broncos: Believing In Bo
Speaking of QBs not expected to be in the limelight this season, that brings us to the Denver side of this Monday Night Football matchup. It was a rocky start near the Rocky Mountains for rookie QB Bo Nix, but things have been turning around in a big way.
He now has the Broncos sitting at 7-5 and in very real playoff contention. Over these past two games alone, Nix has thrown for six touchdown passes and no interceptions, which correlates to his high regard of being the most accurate QB in college football last year. More efforts like that will certainly help in making it three straight wins.
Browns vs. Broncos Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines
We mentioned Denver being a clear home favorite on Monday night, and you can see the latest Browns vs. Broncos odds at FanDuel Sportsbook below:
- Point Spread: Cleveland Browns +5.5 (-110) vs. Denver Broncos -5.5 (-110)
- Money Line: Cleveland Browns (+205) vs. Denver Broncos (-250)
- Game Total (Over/Under): Over 41.5 (-110) vs. Under 41.5 (-110)
Browns vs. Broncos Teaser: Cleveland +11.5 & Over 35.5 Points (-120 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
As far as our favorite Browns vs. Broncos picks go, we’re going to be making a same-game, six-point teaser. So, we need both plays to hit, and we already have leans for both. Our projections have Denver -4 and a total of 43, so this is a way to take advantage of rather even discrepancies in both markets.
We’re also getting the Browns through the very key number of seven and the relatively key number of 10, meaning that they can even lose by multiple possessions and still come through for us!
Of course, we all know that they just pulled off an outright upset in their most recent game, but that wasn’t their only one of the season. It wasn’t long before that they also took down the Baltimore Ravens as nearly double-digit underdogs.
Keep in mind, when Denver played the Ravens, they were absolutely smashed 41-10. On that note of such a high-scoring game, while the Broncos defense has absolutely had some strong games, they haven’t been perfect. When they are performing well, we’ve also seen Nix lead the offense with high efficiency.
They’ve scored 29 and 38 points in their two most recent games, and they scored 28 and 33 points prior to the aforementioned Ravens loss. As for the Browns, trading star pass rusher Za’Darius Smith has hindered their defense, allowing even the New Orleans Saints to snap their seven-game losing streak with 35 points.
All of the above is a recipe for a closer-than-expected game and one with more points than anticipated, so we’re making the best bet from our Browns vs. Broncos predictions a teaser of Cleveland +11.5 and over 35.5 points (-120 at FanDuel Sportsbook).
Browns vs. Broncos Injury Report & Latest News
The injury to Cleveland QB Deshaun Watson earlier in the season was one of the biggest injury news pieces, but for this matchup, both teams are about as healthy as it gets. We love to see that, but it still never hurts to keep track of our own NFL Injury Report for the latest news.
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Player News
Ravens signed DT John Jenkins to a one-year contract.
The 35-year-old 13th-year pro slides in as a 1-for-1 Michael Pierce replacement after the former Raven retired in March. Although strictly a two-down player, Jenkins actually played a new career high 606 snaps for the Raiders last season. He probably won’t reach that total in Baltimore, but he should see plenty of work as a run-stopper.
49ers signed K Greg Joseph.
The 30-year-old journeyman spent time with each of the Giants, Commanders and Jets last season. He’ll serve as a veteran, in-house option should third-year pro Jake Moody look shaky this summer after an underwhelming 2024.
49ers signed Brock Purdy to a five-year, $265 million contract extension.
Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Purdy gets $181 million in total guarantees with $165.1 million in the first three new years. He is now under contract through 2030. The 2022 Mr. Irrelevant flashed in a handful of starts as a rookie and immediately proved to be Kyle Shanahan’s next efficiency phenom in 2023 with 4,280 yards and 31 scores. Purdy’s numbers fell in 2024, but he did enough to keep the offense on the tracks despite a rash of injuries, even if the 49ers lumbered to a 6-11 record. Purdy managed 3,864 yards and 20 scores in 15 games and showed an improved ability to work out of structure and under pressure. Though he may not have a truly elite ceiling, Purdy is beginning to beat the system quarterback allegations after just two seasons as the full-time starter. With the league’s easiest schedule on tap for 2025, expect a rebound from Purdy and the entire team this year.
Jets released K Greg Zuerlein.
Defensive end Michael Fletcher was signed in a corresponding move. Zuerlein has kicked for the Jets since 2022. He suffered a knee injury last year and briefly returned before being placed back on injured reserve. Zuerlein appeared in eight games and went a dreadful 9-of-15 on his field goal tries. The 60 percent hit rate was by far the worst of his career. Now 37 years old, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Legatron hang up the cleats for good after being released. If he wants to keep kicking, another team will be more than willing to at least give him a camp battle to win.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter said his guess is that the NFL will ban the tush push during next week’s owners’ meeting.
Schefter didn’t cite any sources directly but reiterated the point later in the latest episode of The Adam Schefter Podcast, saying he “wouldn’t be surprised” if the owners voted to outlaw the play. Losing the free touchdown play would undoubtedly hurt Philly’s offense and Jalen Hurts’ fantasy outlook, but it’s hard to imagine a team with Hurts, an elite offensive line, and Saquon Barkley not finding other ways to get in the end zone from a yard out. If the tush push is banned, it would likely just shuffle some of Hurts’ touchdowns to Barkley. Other teams including the Bills have experimented with similar plays, but no one has found as much success as the Eagles. The owners will also be voting on a change to the playoff seeding rules. The proposed change would seed teams based purely on their record instead of each division winner earning a top-four seed. While that may be a more logical way to do things, it’s certainly less fun.
Steelers beat writer Nick Farabaugh reports the team has called the Saints about a possible trade for Chris Olave.
According to Farabaugh, one source described the Steelers’ inquiry as “a due diligence call” while adding that a trade “doesn’t seem likely to happen” at this time. The Steelers trade George Pickens to the Cowboys just over a week ago, and are now looking at DK Metcalf, Roman Wilson, and Calvin Austin as their top options in three receiver sets. Of those three, Metcalf is the only receiver with notable NFL success, while Wilson effectively redshirted his rookie season due to injuries. Olave caught 32 passes for 400 yards and one touchdown for the Saints last season, but missed nine games due to multiple concussions he suffered. The four-year receiver posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons during his first two years in the league, and would provide an immediate upgrade to an underwhelming Steelers receiving corps. Farabaugh reports that in addition to a trade being unlikely, that the Saints do “not seem interested in trading Olave” at this time. The Saints picked up Olave’s fifth-year option last month, and will likely look to extend him in the not too distant future.