The Cleveland Browns will travel to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars to open the preseason. Jacksonville already played in the Hall of Fame Game, where they were defeated by the Las Vegas Raiders.
This will be Cleveland’s first contest of the new year. And although it’s just a preseason game, expect both teams to play hard. There are plenty of players simply trying to make the team heading into the 2022 season.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM EST at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, FL. Let’s take a look at the Jaguars vs. Browns odds and analysis.
2021-2022 NFL Matchups Scoreboard
As aforementioned, this will be the Browns’ first preseason game. However, the Jaguars played last week against the Raiders. They ultimately lost by a final score of 27-11.
But neither team had many of their starters in uniform. For the Jaguars, backups Kyle Sloter and Jake Luton both received reps at QB. Although any loss is disappointing, the Jaguars likely didn’t mind that defeat quite as much.
Matchup General Information
The kickoff is scheduled for Friday at 7:00 PM EST in Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Jaguars will get a chance to excite their home fans in the first preseason game of the year.
It should be noted that Deshaun Watson is eligible for preseason action despite his suspension. So that is something bettors should keep an eye out for. Cleveland hasn’t announced whether he will suit or for Friday’s game or not.
But it will be important to keep tabs on who starts and who doesn’t. Starters will begin seeing regular playing time as the preseason rolls on. But in this first game, it is unclear which players will be ready to roll.
Jaguars vs. Browns Betting Analysis
Last season, the Browns played a decent brand of football but ultimately missed the playoffs. They underwent plenty of overhaul during the offseason and prepared to run it back in 2022. Cleveland posted a 7-10 ATS record last year.
Meanwhile, Jacksonville wasn’t kind to bettors last year. They finished tied for a league-worst 5-12 ATS record.
Obviously, those records don’t tell us a whole lot for preseason games. But they give us an idea of these teams’ performances ATS.
The Jaguars are listed as a favorite according to most sportsbooks. So it will be interesting to see if they can cover the spread and uphold the NFL odds at home.
Jaguars Analysis
The Jaguars are looking for a bounce-back season with young Trevor Lawrence leading the charge. This team dealt with drama last season due to former coach Urban Meyer’s antics.
But they will get a fresh start this season. I expect them to display improvement in 2022.
Browns Analysis
Speaking of Drama, the Browns have had no shortage of it. Between the Deshaun Watson suspension and previous Baker Mayfield trade rumors, Cleveland’s offseason has been nothing but drama. To make matters worse, running back Kareem Hunt recently asked for a trade.
The Browns have high expectations this year. But one has to wonder if they can overcome all of the noise and focus purely on football.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Cleveland Browns Updates
Kareem Hunt requested a trade. If Cleveland grants his request, it will obviously limit their running back depth. As good as Nick Chubb is, having a quality backup like Hunt is important.
Zay Jones and Christian Kirk recently stole the show at the Jaguars training camp. Both players have impressed and could be in store for big 2022 seasons.
Jaguars vs. Browns Betting Preview
So which team should you place your bets on? Rolling with the underdog Browns seems like a smart decision.
Trusting Jacksonville isn’t an easy thing to do. However, this is a preseason game, so who knows what kind of output the Browns will even have.
However, taking underdogs with your NFL picks against the spread tends to pay off during the preseason.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Cleveland Browns Betting Prediction
In the end, I like the Browns as the road underdogs in this affair. Go ahead and take Cleveland to win. According to most sportsbooks, Jacksonville is listed as anywhere from a 2.5-4.5 point favorite.
If you bet on the Browns, go ahead and take the moneyline and spread. They should be able to win this game.
NFL Pick: Browns (+105)
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