Cardinals vs. Browns: NFL Week 6 betting odds, preview, and pick

Fans will be treated to a showdown between two former Heisman Trophy quarterbacks from Oklahoma this Sunday, as the Arizona Cardinals travel to Cleveland to face the Browns.

Cardinals take unbeaten record on the road

Arizona is the lone unbeaten team in the NFL this season, thanks to a tough 17-10 win over division foe San Francisco in Week 5. Kyler Murray continues to play like an MVP candidate, although his stats against the 49ers were somewhat modest, as he threw for 239 yards and a touchdown and rushed for just one yard. The Cardinals as a whole were able to run for just 3.5 yards per carry and failed to crack 100 yards despite 27 carries.

Defensively, they continue to struggle against the run. San Francisco gained 152 yards on the ground over 28 carries, and Arizona now is allowing 139 yards and 5.4 yards per carry on the ground this season, the second-worst mark in the NFL. Their 10 forced turnovers are third-best in the league, helping offset much of the damage done against them, but they are also allowing the 15th most offensive plays per game. There is also concern around Chandler Jones, who may miss this weekend’s game due to testing positive for COVID-19.

The defense’s biggest strength this season is getting off the field on third downs, with their 31.6% third-down conversion percentage ranking fourth in the league. If they are unable to slow down Cleveland’s dominant rushing attack, Murray will need to keep pace against a defense that might be without Jadeveon Clowney again this weekend. Murray will also need to continue taking care of the ball like he has the past two games, with zero interceptions during that stretch after throwing four in his first three games.

Chubb and Hunt running over everyone they face

As for the Browns, the gameplan this weekend should be simple: run, run, and then run some more. Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt are the best one-two punch in the league, with Chubb averaging 5.8 yards per carry and Hunt 5.4 yards per and a combined 163.6 yards per game. As a team, Cleveland’s 187.6 rushing yards are 12 more than the second-best team in the NFL.

The Browns blew a 27-13 third-quarter lead last week, falling 47-42 to the Chargers on the road. They led 42-35 with 4:45 to go, but Los Angeles scored two touchdowns in the final 3:15 to steal the victory. Baker Mayfield played his best game of the season, throwing for 305 yards and a pair of scores, but Odell Beckham Jr. continues to struggle as he caught just two passes for 20 yards.

Injuries to tackles Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills led to the Browns getting a bit conservative down the stretch, and their status is worth monitoring. Conklin had an MRI on his knee Monday but results were not released, and Wills missed the game with an ankle injury. Wills is expected to play, but if both miss the game, expect Cleveland to rely even more on their run game, as they lack depth at the position and will not want to subject Mayfield to what Arizona did against the Titans.

Cardinals and Browns Betting Trends

• The Cardinals are 4-1 ATS in their last five games
• The Under is 5-2 in Arizona’s last seven games
• The Browns are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games
• The Over is 4-2 in the last six games between these teams
• The Cardinals have won the last four meetings between these two teams

Arizona's streak is about to come to a grinding halt

The 1972 Miami Dolphins will get to pop their champagne early this season. The Cardinals have been a terrific team this season, proving against the Rams and Titans that they are a vastly improved club from a year ago. However, their inability to stop the run makes this a tactical nightmare matchup, especially on the road.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has yet to lose consecutive games in the regular season since taking the job, and he’s smart enough to realize that when you average more than five yards per carry with two different backs, and your opponent allows more than five yards per carry every rushing attempt, you simply feed the rock to your two-headed monster and let them go to work.

Cleveland ranks third in time of possession this season but just 10th in total offensive plays, and they will keep Murray and the Cardinals’ high-powered offense on the sideline for long stretches. The game should be entertaining and close for much of the afternoon, but as night descends on Cleveland, look for the Browns to simply wear down the visitors and end the final unbeaten record of the 2021 season.

Take Cleveland minus the points for an easy win in this matchup. For a healthy Same Game Combo wager, pair Cleveland -2.5 points with the Browns team total over 26.5, and game total Over 47.5 for a return of better than two to one. 

Score prediction: Cleveland 31, Arizona 24

NFL Week 6 PICK: BROWNS -2.5

Same Game Combo Pick: Browns -2.5, O 47.5, Browns Team Total O 26.5 (+205)

Cardinals vs. Browns pick powered by The Quant Edge

Our predictive engine is calling for the Browns to win outright and to cover, and for the final score to be Under 50 points.