The undefeated Arizona Cardinals head to Cleveland to take on a very strong Browns team. The Browns are favored by NFL odds but are they the right NFL pick?
Sunday, October 17, 2021 – 04:05 PM EDT at FirstEnergy Stadium
The Arizona Cardinals improved to 5-0 after defeating their division rivals the San Francisco 49ers 17-10. The Cardinals are the last undefeated team remaining in the NFL. This comes as a surprise to fans and bookmakers alike, as the Cardinals were 50 to 1 to have the last remaining undefeated record.
The Cardinals and their high-powered Air Raid offense are led by diminutive quarterback Kyler Murray. Murray had plenty of detractors when he came into the NFL. Many thought that he was too small to endure the grind of an NFL season. Murray is aware of this and is very adept at avoiding contact, oftentimes slipping out of bounds or into a quick baseball slide to avoid taking the big hits that could knock him out. The questions around Murray mainly surround his durability, because you cannot watch this man play and question his talent.
Murray has many weapons to aid his high-powered offense. The main one is wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who could be argued is the best wide receiver in the NFL. Hopkins is flanked by the resurgent wide receiver AJ Green, who many thought had passed his prime and was unable to get separation. Green has found a second football life with the Cardinals and is still able to get open often enough to make him a credible threat. Rookie WR Rondale Moore has been the breakout star of the Cardinals’ offense. Moore is like Murray in the fact that he is very small and very fast. When Moore has room to operate in open space, there are very few defenders in the NFL who can match his quickness and speed. Give credit to Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury for utilizing Moore not only as a downfield threat but as an explosive option on the shorter plays, such as screens and slants.
The Cardinals also have two strong running backs in Chase Edmonds and James Conner. This one-two punch at RB provides insurance for the Cardinals to hang on to leads after their offense puts them in advantageous situations. They are running behind an adept offensive line. The addition of center Rodney Hudson cannot be discounted. Hudson is a top 5 center in the league. As well as winning his individual matchups, he is great at setting protections. He is one of the best at helping his teammates and quarterback make sure that they are not vulnerable to the unexpected blitz. The Cardinals offense is firing on all cylinders right now and will be a tough task for a strong Browns defense.
Although the Browns are 3-2, there’s an argument that could be made that they are a top-five team in the league. With the two losses being very close and to two top teams in the AFC (the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers) the Browns have endured a brutal schedule and have still come out looking strong.
The Browns have one of the most talented rosters in the league. The Browns’ corps of wide receivers are explosive. The Browns have an above-average offensive line. Most importantly, the Browns have the best running back tandem in the NFL, the combination of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. Chubb is a power runner with speed but not afraid to burst through the middle and shed blocks. Hunt is a shifty, side-to-side back with game-breaking speed. Hunt is used very well in the passing offense. He has the ability to take a short dump-off and turn it into an explosive play. The running game is the strength of this Browns team. If they can run the ball, they put themselves in a fantastic position to win each week.
The Browns have one of the best defenses in the NFL. The Browns are led by defensive end Myles Garrett who has emerged as one of the top pass rushers in the league. Very few offensive linemen can hang with Garrett one-on-one and he often beats double coverage that the opposing team scheme up to limit his disruptiveness. Behind Garrett is a solid core of linebackers and a strong secondary which makes this Browns defense one of the most complete defensive rosters in the league. Combine that with a solid offense that often gives the defense a lead, this Browns team plays complementary football well. Once they achieve a lead, the Browns’ front 4 has a chance to “pin their ears back” and rush the passer. This allows the Browns to stifle many comeback attempts. This top defense will definitely face a tough test against the Arizona Cardinals.
Cleveland secondary vs. Arizona wide receivers. Cardinals QB Kyler Murray is fast enough to avoid even the best pass rushes, but if he does not have players open down the field when he extends the play, that point becomes moot. The Browns need to keep tight coverage against the Cardinals’ receivers. This will force Murray to either get rid of the ball or jam it into tighter windows than he is accustomed to.
The Browns’ defensive coverage could disrupt the potent Arizona offense, letting their sturdy running game control the clock. This would put the Browns in the position to control the tempo of the game and is key to their chances of victory. The Cardinals’ receivers will need to beat their individual opponents in the one-on-one matchups if the Cardinals want to have a chance at victory.
I like the Cleveland Browns here to overcome the undefeated Cardinals. I think the Browns’ defense is strong enough to slow down the Cardinals’ high-powered offense. The Browns elite rushing attack can keep Murray and his many talented receivers off the field. The 49ers showed some flaws in the Cardinals rushing defense last week, but the Browns have the offensive linemen and the running backs to exploit these issues even more.
I expect the Browns to win in an old-school manner by running the football.your NFL pick, lay the points. Take the Browns
NFL Pick: Cleveland Browns -2.5 (-108) at BookMaker (visit our BookMaker Review)
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