Cleveland Browns vs. Washington Commanders: Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 1/1/2023

Time: 1 p.m. ET

Venue: FedEx Field, Landover, MD

Where to watch: FOX

DraftKings: Commanders -2.5; Commanders -130, Browns +110; O/U 40.5

FanDuel: Commanders -1.5; Commanders -130, Browns +110; O/U 40.5

BetMGM: Commanders -2; Commanders -130, Browns +110; O/U 40

Caesars: Commanders -2; Commanders -125, Browns +105; O/U 41

Browns: 6-9

Commanders: 7-7-1

Browns: lost 17-10 vs. Saints

Commanders: lost 37-23 at 49ers

I think until further notice, the Cleveland Browns are going to be a work in progress. I don't think anybody expected them to win the rest of their games and clinch a playoff spot, but I think a lot of people expected them to put up a better effort than they did against the New Orleans Saints last week in the 17-10 loss that all but essentially eliminated Cleveland from playoff contention. It was a rather up and down run for the offense of Cleveland. Deshaun Watson ran for a touchdown, and Nick Chubb had 102 yards from scrimmage with 92 of them coming on the ground. But the fact that they could only gather 10 points from that game is pretty disappointing.

 

Cleveland should have ran the ball more with Chubb and Kareem hunt. The fact that they did not utilize the ground game and tried to put the ball in the hands of Watson and tried to have him win a game in which the offense was not going to do anything shows just how far off the coaching is from the actual understanding of what it is Cleveland wants to do. And if Kevin stefanski gets another chance next year with Watson as his quarterback, he better hope that this translates into success because right now it is about as dreadful and abysmal as one could imagine in Cleveland if the weapons around Watson are only amassing for 10 points.

 

The Browns have failed to cover in two of their last three, with the only cover being the 13-3 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in which Cleveland was favored by 2.5. Had Cleveland won last week they probably would have been favored this week again for the third straight week, but losing in that fashion the way that they did outright puts a sour taste in any better's mouth hoping that Cleveland can do something at the end of the season. But if you are a Green Bay Packers fan, you are hoping for Cleveland to pull off this upset to give your team and chance to make the playoffs. Going into a cold weather environment with uncertainties surrounding the Washington quarterback position, I have no idea which way you should think about that.

Well, this is what you were hoping for if you were Ron Rivera. Get to a point late in the season where you still have a chance to make the playoffs and yet you are making a quarterback decision that will either make or break your season. It is going to be Carson Wentz under center for the Washington commanders this week after he through a touchdown pass last week in relief in the 37-20 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The run for Taylor Heinicke appears to be over for the time being, that all hindering to change unless Washington completely implodes in the final little bit here.

 

Going with a quarterback change this late in the season is definitely a choice and one that I do not think will give Washington enough confidence the rest of the way. When the commanders made the move to go with Heinicke at quarterback, it was a well deserved promotion because of how well he had played not just this year, but in years past when he helped Washington get to the playoffs and ensure that there was no reason that they needed to make a switch at quarterback. Nevertheless, they are going with the veteran in this one to save their season. And while I may have my own reservations about Carson Wentz as a quarterback, who am I to judge a head coach based on his decisions?

 

Washington has failed to cover in its last three games after going 6-0-1 in its previous seven. They failed to cover against the New York Giants in that tie, and then failed to cover two weeks later in the 20-12 loss to the giants at home. So clearly nothing is going right for Washington. Especially when the under has cashed in their last four when they faced a team with a losing record, if this quarterback does not put up enough points in a game in which Washington should win, this is going to be a very hard offseason to look at.

He wants to take Cleveland just because of the fact that Washington does not deserve to win this game so long as it plays Carson Wentz. But I will be nice this one time and say Washington, at home, with its season on the line, will deliver against an inferior team and keep their playoff hopes alive. Commanders 20, Browns 16

Commanders are 40-76 ATS as a home favorite since 1992.

Commanders are 54-77 ATS at home off a loss since 1992.

Browns are 143-184 ATS after the first month of the seasons

Passing: Deshaun Watson – 703 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT

Rushing: Nick Chubb – 1,344 yards, 12 TD

Receiving: Amari Cooper – 1,004 yards, 7 TD

Defense: Myles Garrett – 13.5 sacks

Passing: Taylor Henicke – 1,859 yards, 12 TD, 6 INT

Rushing: Brian Robinson – 710 yards, 2 TD

Receiving: Terry McLaurin – 1,092 yards, 4 TD

Defense: Daron Payne – 9.5 sacks