Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns, 12/30/18 Week 17 Predictions

Ravens vs. Browns Spread Prediction

The Baltimore Ravens can clinch the AFC North title with a win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday but are they laying too many points? This divisional matchup kicks off at 4:25 p.m. ET today.

Game Snapshot

315 Cleveland Browns at 316 Baltimore Ravens

4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, December 30

M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

Public Betting Trends

According to oddsmakers from online sports book BetNow.eu, the Ravens are 7-point favorites to beat the Browns. The total, meanwhile, sits at 40.5 points. As of this writing, 58% of the public betting tickets are on the Browns to cover the point spread.

Cleveland Browns

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports interim coach Gregg Williams isn't considered "anything close" to a frontrunner for the Browns' full-time job. This isn't a surprise — Williams was never more than a placeholder. The Browns have had a second half turnaround under OC Freddie Kitchens, but there's no mandate to keep Kitchens or Williams under the new coaching staff. Williams won't struggle to resurface in another defensive coordinator role this offseason.

Baltimore Ravens

John Brown (hamstring) is expected to play Week 17 against the Browns. It is good news for Baltimore's offense, but it does not mean much from a fantasy perspective. Like all of the Ravens' pass catchers, Brown's fantasy value dried up when Lamar Jackson took over at quarterback.

NFL Betting Trends

Cleveland

The Browns are 1-5 against the spread in their last six games against the Ravens.

Baltimore

The favorite is 4-1 against the number in the last five meetings between these two teams.

Prediction

The Ravens are currently constructed to win games on the strength of their defense and their running game. That makes it somewhat difficult to blow teams out and I like this Baltimore team better as an underdog than as a large favorite. The Browns have been competitive since Williams took over as interim coach and with Baker Mayfield’s play-making ability, I like the Browns to play loose and keep things close.

NFL Week 17 Prediction: Cleveland Browns +7