Bet On Browns Cardinals – Cardinals Look To Parlay Momentum Against Lowly Browns

This Sunday afternoon’s meeting between the Cleveland Browns and Arizona Cardinals will be a battle of two teams heading in opposite directions, as the Browns have now dropped three straight to spoil any chance at finishing .500 this year, while Arizona has strung together a season-high three-game winning streak. Making the Cardinals’ recent run that much more impressive is the fact that their last two wins have come against a pair of NFC division leaders in the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers, setting the tone for a strong finish to the year and building some early optimism towards the future.

Cleveland Browns @ Arizona Cardinals

Sound defense and a will to risk it all in every game has helped Arizona turn its season around, as they managed to spoil the 49ers’ party a week ago even with three turnovers committed compared to zero generated. The sportsbooks have taken notice of the Cardinals’ recent run and have them favored by a touchdown for this game, but it is hard to get a good read of where this team is right now.

Bet On Browns Cardinals Preview: Cleveland Browns

Losers of three in a row and six of their last seven, the learning curve has been a difficult one for a Browns’ franchise that is looking to build from the bottom back up. While the defense ranks second against the pass, a big part of that has been the opposing teams decision to run the ball against their 31st-ranked run defense, which has been simply awful. Quarterback Colt McCoy hasn’t progressed the way management projected that he would have in his second season, and while part of that is because of a lack of top weapons in the passing game, it also has to do with the lack of a real rushing threat as Peyton Hillis has been a shadow of his former self all year.

Bet On Browns Cardinals Preview: Arizona Cardinals

The fact that the Cardinals turned the ball over three times and still managed to beat a true NFC contender is impressive, as the Arizona defense was able to make several plays defending the pass and really close down windows fast in different situations. Quarterback John Skelton threw two interceptions, but he also passed for 282 yards and three touchdowns to lead a fourth-quarter comeback after Kevin Kolb was forced from the game. There have to be some concerns about the lack of a running game and also the turnovers, and Arizona will have to be better in both of those areas to extend their run.

Bet On Browns Cardinals Preview: Outlook & Pick

For as bad as the Browns’ season has been to date, executing simple fundamentals should be enough for them to keep this game close against an Arizona team that is due for a letdown after a couple of big wins. Cleveland does have only two fewer wins than the Cardinals do this year, and they have enough weapons to at least cover the sports betting spread as long as they can capitalize on Arizona’s mistakes without making too many of their own.