The New Orleans Saints and the Cleveland Browns square off in one of the Week 16 NFL matchups at FirstEnergy Stadium. With their victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, the Saints improved to 5-9.
Taysom Hill and Andy Dalton both completed passes for touchdowns in the 21-18 victory, while Alvin Kamara added 91 rushing yards.
The Browns defeated the Ravens on Saturday by a score of 13-3. Donovan Peoples-Jones caught a touchdown for the second time this season, while Nick Chubb ran for 99 yards on the ground.
Both teams have struggled to keep up with their competitors in the NFL standings, and this game is crucial for both of their playoff hopes.
Let’s take a closer look at how these two teams match up and give you the best Saints vs Browns picks.
New Orleans Saints vs. Cleveland Browns
Matchup Info
- Game Day: Saturday, December 24, 2022
- Game Time: 1:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: CBS
- Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
- Stadium: FirstEnergy Stadium Stadium
New Orleans Saints Performance Recap and Analysis
The New Orleans Saints football score was 21-18 as they took down the Atlanta Falcons in NFL Week 15 at home to move into a tie for second place in the NFC South.
On their way to a decisive victory, the New Orleans Saints were aggressive in the passing game, displayed more variety in their strategy with running back Alvin Kamara, and absolutely shut down the Atlanta Falcons passing game.
Saints’ NFL Team Stats
In terms of NFL team stats, the Saints collected 348 yards and 21 points offensively. When it comes to NFL player stats, Tight End Juwan Johnson continued his breakout season collecting two more touchdowns, moving his total to seven on the year.
Andy Dalton also enjoyed an impressive game, tossing two touchdowns, while Taysom Hill also got in on the action with a score through the air.
Saints’ Defense
The defense, on the other hand, didn’t play their best game of the year, as they surrendered 235 yards rushing.
They did, however, shut down the Falcon’s passing game holding Desmond Ridder to 89 yards and collecting one takeaway.
The New Orleans Saints still have a chance to make the playoffs, believe it or not. After their most recent victory, they are only one game behind the top of the NFC South standings, but they will need a lot of assistance from other teams, and they also need to help themselves by winning more games.
Key Injuries
According to the NFL injury report, the Saints placed top WR Micahel Thomas, LB Zack Baun, and RB Mark Ingram on the Injured Reserve.
They could also potentially be without star CB Marshon Lattimore, P.J. Williams, and DE Payton Turner.
Betting Trends to Know
The NFL schedule has not been very kind to the Saints in terms of their spread numbers. The Saints have gone 5-9 against the spread this season, including going 3-6 ATS over their last nine games.
In terms of the Over/Under, New Orleans has gone under the number in eight of their 14 contests.
However, they have been a strong under team as of late, with six of their last seven games going under the total.
Cleveland Browns Performance Recap and Analysis
The Browns (6-8) played 60 minutes of strong football for the first time this season, with contributions from each of the game’s three phases.
Browns’ Offense
On the offensive end, the Browns collected 283 yards on a cold weather day, but the rushing attack came through with 143 yards on the ground, including 99 yards from Nick Chubb.
In Week 15, the Cleveland Browns’ defense performed admirably in a 13-3 victory against Baltimore. Cleveland picked up three sacks, forced two turnovers, and limited the Ravens to one field goal on the day.
Browns’ Young Pieces
The Cleveland Browns‘ young pieces in the secondary have been playing excellent football as of late, while Myles Garrett collected two sacks on the day. The defense will look to grind out three more wins going down the stretch.
After defeating the Baltimore Ravens, the Cleveland Browns now have slightly improved their playoff chances to 6-8. But even if they don’t advance to the playoffs, the Browns have won three of their last four games and have a chance to add three more victories in the remaining games.
Key Injuries
After placing star rookie LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah on the injured reserve, the Browns NFL injury report also lists DE Jadaveon Clowney, S Josh Johnson, and WR David Bell as questionable heading into their Christmas-Eve matchup.
Betting Trends to Know
The Cleveland Browns record 2022 has increased steadily as they have been winners of three of their last four games straight up.
When it comes to the spread, the Browns are 7-7 on the year but have covered three of their last four contests.
In terms of the Over/Under, the Browns have gone over the total in seven of their 14 games, but the under has hit in four straight contests.
Saints vs. Browns Odds
According to oddsmakers, the Cleveland Browns are currently a -3 point spread (-110) favorite for this matchup at FirstEnergyStadium.
In terms of the moneyline, the Browns have NFL odds of -160 to get the win at home, while the New Orleans Saints hold NFL odds of +145 as road underdogs to pick up the win. When it comes to the total, the Over/Under has been listed at 32.5 points (-110).
New Orleans Saints vs. Cleveland Browns Betting Picks
- Moneyline
When it comes to Saints vs Browns picks, the Browns are the obvious choice in this matchup.
The Strength of this Browns team is their running game, with Nick Chubb averaging five yards a carry this season.
The Saints are coming off a game in which they conceded over 230 yards on the ground and will play in the cold Cleveland weather.
The Browns have won three of their last four, and they should take this one as well.
NFL Pick: Browns (-160)
- Total
The upcoming Christmas Eve game between the Cleveland Browns and the New Orleans Saints is expected to include wind, snow, and a peak temperature of only 15 degrees.
Both teams should rely heavily on their running games, with the Saints Alvin Kamara averaging almost 14 rushing attempts per game, while the Browns sport a dynamic rushing duo of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.
Both of these offenses have struggled to move the football and expect the clock to be constantly running. This one is going under the total.
NFL Pick: Under 32.5 (-110)
- Spread
In terms of NFL picks today, New Orleans is fighting for their playoff life in this matchup, and they have kept games close as of late.
Each of their last two contests have been played by three points or less; while I don’t think they will win, they should keep this one close.
The Browns haven’t been as explosive with Deshaun Watson under center. The Browns have averaged only 16.7 points in Watson’s starts this year. The Saints keep it within three points.
NFL Pick: Saints +3 (-110)
New Orleans Saints vs. Cleveland Browns Score Prediction
When it comes to the Saints vs Browns picks, it should be a close game because these two evenly-matched teams have very little chance of making the playoffs right now.
The matchup between Nick Chubb and Alvin Kamara will be a battle of the backfields, and the clock should constantly be running.
The Browns have struggled to put up points, and the Saints will leave the safe confines of their dome to play in the freezing Cleveland weather.
Expect this matchup to be a tightly contested back-and-forth battle, with the Browns edging the Saints.
Score Prediction: Browns 14, Saints 13
NFL Pick: Under 32.5 (-110)
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