Minnesota Vikings-Cleveland Browns Odds and Picks Against the Spread
MINNESOTA VIKINGS VS. CLEVELAND BROWNS IN LONDON (+9.5, O/U 38), Sun., 9:30 a.m. ET
Londoners might be subjected to a dud. The Vikings, winners of three straight, have a suffocating defense that could make the end zone a no-man’s land for the Browns, particularly after an injury to the offense’s lone bright spot.
Cleveland has led for all of five minutes this season and is 1-22 under coach Hue Jackson. Minnesota’s chief concern is taking this opponent lightly at a far-off venue before a bye week.
LINE MOVEMENT, TRENDS
The spread has leapt from 7.5 as the public perhaps realizes that Cleveland, the designated home team, is playing on neutral grounds.
Even with last Sunday’s cover, the Browns are on a 7-25-1 against-the-spread slide. The extreme opposite is Minnesota, on a 35-16 ATS streak.
BREAKDOWN
Both teams’ QB situations are unsettled, but in vastly different ways.
For the Vikings, Case Keenum is filling in admirably as Sam Bradford deals with short-term injuries and Teddy Bridgewater a long-term one. The Browns keep trying futilely for a good fit.
QB DeShone Kizer is back after being yo-yo’ed in and out of the lineup.
The absence of 10-time Pro Bowl OT Joe Thomas (triceps), a rock in the storm, could leave Kizer scrambling for his life. Second-year man Spencer Drago, a former fifth-round pick, slides in against a defense that rang up five sacks last Sunday.
Drago must contend with DE Everson Griffen, who has dumped QBs nine times this year. Minnesota has allowed more than 20 points just once all season.
RB Latavius Murray has restored the Vikes’ ground game that took a backward step with rookie Dalvin Cook’s injury. WR Stefon Diggs (groin) rejoins the effort after sitting out a game.
Together, they could prey on a defense pockmarked with injuries, with a major worry being the absence of DE Myles Garrett (concussion).
PICK
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