NFL Preseason Predictions: Will Bucs cover as favorite vs. Browns? 8/26/17

Browns vs. Bucs Preseason Pick

Will the Buccaneers cover as a home favorite tonight against the Browns at 7:30PM ET?

According to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv, the Buccaneers are 5.5-point home favorites versus the Browns, who opened as 3-point underdogs. The total, meanwhile, is sitting at 41 points after it was bet down from the original number of 42.

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CLEVELAND BROWNS: The Browns are a perfect 2-0 in preseason play after knocking off the Saints 20-14 and the Giants 10-6. In their victory over the Giants, rookie signal-caller DeShone Kizer completed 8-of-13 passes for 74 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. He also rushed five times for 35 yards and scored on the ground. He'll start tonight in Buccaneers.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: The Bucs opened preseason play with a 23-12 loss in Cincinnati before beating the Jaguars 12-8 last week in Jacksonville. Jameis Winston completed 21-of-29 passes for 196 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Peyton Barber also led the team in rushing with nine carries for 42 yards.

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OUR PREDICTION: The Browns are 2-0 but I think this is a bad spot to bet them again. Now that Kizer is the starter, the expectations have risen and Tampa Bay's defense is quietly underrated. Given that this game is a dress rehearsal for the regular-season, I like the Bucs to get after the rookie and rattle his cage a bit. Cleveland could always come back in the second half to cover, but it's a risk I'm willing to take.

 

NFL PRESEASON PREDICTION: TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS -5.5