The Cleveland Browns ended a 17-year playoff drought last season, going 11-5 for their first winning record in 13 campaigns. Their hopes for a second straight postseason appearance were high after winning three of their first four games this year, but they’ve been inconsistent since and currently occupy the basement in the AFC North standings. Cleveland (7-7) looks to remain in the NFL playoff picture on Saturday when it visits the NFC North-champion Green Bay Packers (11-3) for a 2021 NFL Christmas Day battle.
Kickoff from Lambeau Field is set for 4:30 p.m. ET. Green Bay is a 7.5-point favorite in the latest Packers vs. Browns odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is 46.5. Before locking in any Browns vs. Packers picks, make sure you see the latest NFL predictions from SportsLine’s proven projection model.
The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception six-plus years ago. The model enters Week 16 of the 2021 season on an incredible 133-96 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season.
The model also ranked in the Top 10 on NFLPickWatch four of the past five years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 94 percent of CBS Sports Football Pick’em players four times during that span. Anyone who has followed it is way up.
Now, the model has set its sights on Packers vs. Browns on Saturday. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the NFL odds from Caesars Sportsbook and trends for Browns vs. Packers:
- Packers vs. Browns spread: Green Bay -7.5
- Packers vs. Browns over-under: 46.5 points
- Packers vs. Browns money line: Green Bay -350, Cleveland +280
- GB: Packers are 11-2 against the spread in their last 13 games
- CLE: Browns are 1-4 against the spread in their last five meetings with Green Bay
Why the Packers can cover
Green Bay has not been kind in defeating its visitors this season, as five of its six home victories have been by double-digits. The Packers have flourished at Lambeau Field under Matt LaFleur, going 20-2 there since he took over as head coach prior to the start of the 2019 campaign. That home record is the best in the NFL over that span, as is Green Bay’s plus-10.4 point differential in those contests.
Since suffering an embarrassing 38-3 loss to New Orleans in the 2021 NFL season-opener, the Packers have gone 11-1 with Aaron Rodgers under center. The three-time league MVP is having a season that could make him the first back-to-back winner of the award since Peyton Manning accomplished the feat in 2009. Rodgers has been superb over his last four contests, throwing for over 300 yards three times while recording 13 touchdown passes without an interception.
Why the Browns can cover
Cleveland’s quarterback, 26-year-old Baker Mayfield, has performed well on the road this season, throwing six touchdown passes and only two interceptions in six games. The first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft is the first player in franchise history to register at least 2,500 passing yards (2,603) in each of his first four seasons. He’ll likely return on Saturday after being activated from the COVID-19/reserve list.
The Browns still can be formidable without Mayfield, however, as they possess the fifth-ranked rushing attack in the league (139.6 yards). They are third with an average 4.9 yards per carry, while Green Bay has allowed 4.5 per attempt, the eighth-most in the NFL. Leading the way is Nick Chubb, who is the league’s fourth-leading rusher with 1,017 yards and has gained more than 90 in six of his 11 outings this season.
How to make Packers vs. Browns picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 44 points. It also says one side of the spread cashes in more than 50 percent of simulations. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Browns vs. Packers on Saturday? And which side of the spread cashes more than 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Browns vs. Packers spread to be all over on Saturday, all from the advanced model that is up more than $7,000 on its top-rated NFL picks, and find out.
