There are numerous inter-conference matchups taking place in Week 3 of the NFL betting season. Among them is a showdown between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns. Both teams started the season with a loss before rebounding with a victory last week. Add in the looming possibility that a highly-touted rookie QB could be making his first career start in this game and it is certainly an intriguing one. The NFL betting odds favor the home team by over a touchdown in this Bears vs Browns showdown.
The following Bears vs Browns NFL betting preview will give you the current odds, betting trends, stream and picks for the Week 3 matchup.
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Bears vs Browns Week 3 NFL Betting Preview
NFL Regular Season — Week 3 Game
Chicago Bears (1-1, 0-1 Away) vs. Cleveland Browns (1-1, 1-0 Home)
Date: Sunday, Sep. 26, 2021
Time: 1 p.m. EST
Venue: FirstEnergy Stadium — Cleveland, OH
Coverage: Click here for the stream
Chicago Bears Preview
After struggling to score in their season-opener, the Bears found the end zone quickly in Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals. From there, it was a slog offensively. Chicago’s only other touchdown in the win came via a pick-six courtesy of Roquan Smith. Further complicating things for the struggling Bears offense was a knee injury sustained by veteran QB Andy Dalton. Rookie first-round pick Justin Fields struggled in his place. With Dalton listed as week-to-week, all signs point to Fields making his first career start on Sunday in Cleveland.
One of the main bright spots for Chicago offensively in the first two weeks has been running back David Montgomery. After a great Week 1 showing against a tough Los Angeles Rams defense, Montgomery had another 61 yards rushing last Sunday. Receiver Darnell Mooney was also impressive with six catches for 66 yards. Defensively, the Bears harassed Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow to the tune of four sacks and three interceptions. Chicago also came up with a fumble recovery, finishing with four total takeaways last week. While the secondary is not as strong as it once was, the Bears’ defensive front has the potential to make life difficult on the Browns’ rushing attack in this NFL betting matchup.
Cleveland Browns Preview
After suffering a narrow defeat to the two-time AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs in their opener, the Browns figured to be a lock to bounce back against the lowly Houston Texans in Week 2. Well, it wasn’t until Tyrod Taylor was pulled from the game with a hamstring injury that the Browns were able to assert themselves as the superior team. The resulting 31-21 win didn’t look bad on the scoreboard, but Cleveland was in a dog fight for an entire half. It certainly wasn’t a performance that inspired much confidence as far as NFL betting picks are concerned going forward.
It was a very pedestrian stat line for Baker Mayfield last week considering the lack of talent on the Texans’ defense. He finished with just 213 yards passing, one touchdown and one pick. He also added a rushing score, as did Nick Chubb who totaled 95 yards rushing on 11 carries. Kareem Hunt also topped 50 yards on the ground, but the dynamic Cleveland RB duo will face a tough task trying to replicate that against the Bears’ defensive front. The Browns were essentially saved defensively by the fact that Taylor had to exit the game, forcing Houston to turn to rookie Davis Mills in the second half. Even so, Cleveland still surrendered a third scoring drive after halftime that was aided by defensive penalties and a lack of discipline.
Bears vs Browns Odds and Spread
NFL betting odds for Bears vs Browns are taken from FanDuel Sportsbook.
Moneyline: CHI: (+260) | CLE: (-320)
Spread: CHI: +7.5 (-118) | CLE: -7.5 (-104)
Total: 46.5 — Over: (-105) | Under: (-115)
Public (Spread) Betting Percentages via Action Network: CHI: (47%) | CLE: (53%)
Bears vs Browns NFL Betting Trends
- The Bears are 1-1 ATS and 1-1 to the over this season.
- The Browns are 1-1 ATS and 2-0 to the over this season.
- Four of the Bears’ last five road games have gone over the total.
- Browns are just 1-5 ATS in their last six home games.
- Bears are 5-1 SU in their last six head-to-head matchups against the Browns.
Bears vs Browns Stats
- Chicago is averaging 17.0 points per game (PPG) this season (Tied for No. 28 in the NFL).
- Chicago is surrendering 25.5 PPG this season (Tied No. 18 in the NFL).
- Cleveland is averaging 30.0 PPG this season (No. 6 in the NFL).
- Cleveland is surrendering 27.0 PPG this season (Tied for No. 21 in the NFL).
Bears vs Browns Prediction
The Bears vs Browns NFL betting prediction uses the Team Rankings Picks tool.
Bears +7: 50.3%
Browns -7: 49.7%
