The New England Patriots shut out the NFL's No. 1 scoring offense in Week 5 with a 29-0 win over the Detroit Lions. Will they carry that momentum into Sunday's Week 6 matchup against the Browns in Cleveland?
History is in the Patriots' favor.
They have won four consecutive games and eight of the last nine versus the Browns. Cleveland's only win during that span was a 2010 matchup highlighted by running back Peyton Hillis racking up 184 yards and two touchdowns.
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Despite the Browns' lack of recent success against the Patriots, oddsmakers have made Cleveland a slight favorite to win Sunday.
Here are the opening betting lines for this game, via DraftKings Sportsbook:
- Spread: Patriots +3 (-115), Browns -3 (-105)
- Moneyline: Patriots +130, Lions -150
- Over/Under: Over 42.5 points (-110), Under 42.5 points (-110)
The Patriots are 7-2 against the spread (ATS) in their last nine games versus the Browns, and they are 17-3 straight up in their last 20 matchups with AFC North opponents. The Browns also are 2-6 ATS in their last eight home games.
New England Patriots
Sunday's game could come down to Cleveland's ability to stop the run. The Browns are giving up 5.3 yards per carry, which is the third-most in the league. The Patriots likely will give running back Rhamondre Stevenson plenty of carries against this Browns defense, especially after he ran for a career-high 161 yards against the Lions last week.
The Patriots also should be plenty familiar with Browns quarterback Jacoby Brissett's strengths and weaknesses. New England drafted Brissett in 2016 and he played in three games for them that season.
New England isn't a lock to win Sunday by any means. But with a strong run game and a veteran defense, the Patriots should at least be favorites in this game.