We have an interesting AFC vs NFC matchup here as the Cleveland Browns host the Arizona Cardinals. Arizona is undefeated, but the Browns are sizable favorites, and for good reason. The Cardinals aren’t quite as good as their record suggests, as they’ve caught a bunch of breaks. When they played the Vikings, they only won because Minnesota missed a 37-yard field goal as time expired. When they played the lowly Jags, they struggled for much of the game and trailed at halftime. This past week they got to play the 49ers when Trey Lance was making his first career start. They won despite scoring only 17 points because Lance struggled, as you might expect from a rookie on the road.

Arizona has also had three positive COVID tests as of Thursday afternoon. If they get one more, they’ll have to enter into intensive protocols. This isn’t a distraction they need right now. The Browns are coming off a tough road loss, but it was a very close game against an elite Chargers team. They also led for most of the day before some Justin Herbert heroics. Star pass-rusher Chandler Jones is one of the guys who tested positive for Arizona, and that’s a huge loss. Cleveland had won three in a row before the heartbreaker to the Chargers, and they should get back in the win column. Comfortably.

Browns -3 (-120) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

The play I like more in this game is the under. Arizona’s offense struggled last week, and I don’t ever think they were as good as the numbers they were putting up early in the year against softer defenses. Cleveland suddenly played in a shootout against Los Angeles last week, but that was very out of character. Over their previous 2 games, the Browns had allowed only 13 total points. It also appears Kyler Murray is dealing with an injury to his throwing shoulder. Remember, Murray had an injury to his throwing shoulder last season, and the offense declined sharply after he got hurt even though he played through it.

We could see a similar story here. Either way, life will be difficult for Murray with the superhuman Myles Garrett bearing down on him. It looks like we could also get some bad weather for this one, which the Cardinals obviously won’t be used to as a team that plays their home games in a dome. Vance Joseph’s defense has looked very good in Arizona this year, I’m not expecting Baker Mayfield to light up the scoreboard, and Browns running back Nick Chubb has been ruled out.

Under 49.5 available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.