Titans vs. Browns Preview: Best NFL Week 3 Betting Site Odds, Promos
The Cleveland Browns (1-1) return home off a devastating loss to host the Tennessee Titans (1-1) in NFL Week 3 action. Sportsbooks line the Browns as home favorites over the Titans, who are listed as underdogs in moneyline odds. The over/under for this game sits at just points in a matchup between two run-focused teams. Titans at Browns kicks off from Browns Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 24, at 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS.
Below, we’ll preview the AFC showdown, including current injuries, weather forecasts, and prop picks.
Titans vs. Browns Betting Odds
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Titans vs. Browns Props
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Titans vs. Browns Player Props
Titans vs. Browns weather
Weather forecasts for Browns Stadium in Cleveland call for mostly sunny skies and highs in the upper 60s. However, there is expected to be a stiff breeze, sustained at or over 15 mph. Gusts may be higher during the game.
Titans vs. Browns Injury Report
NFL teams finalize their injury reports two days before a game and denote whether a player is questionable, doubtful or out. Practice participation is also logged throughout the week. Here is the Browns injury report and Titans injury report for this week.
Notable Browns On The Injury Report
RB Nick Chubb suffered a frightening knee injury against the Steelers in Week 2. The Browns will be without him for the remainder of the season.
WR Amari Cooper popped up on the injury report with a groin and shoulder issue. Starting tackle Jedrick Wills was limited while battling a shoulder injury.
On defense, CB Greg Newsome (elbow) is out. DE Za’Darius Smith (ankle, thigh) did not practice earlier this week and linebackers Sione Takitaki and Anthony Walker were both limited through Thursday.
Notable Titans on Injury Report
G Peter Skronski (abdomen) and RB Derrick Henry (toe) did not practice as of Thursday on offense. Seven other starters, including receiver DeAndre Hopkins were limited throughout the week.
On defense, starting DT Teair Tart (knee) was DNP Thursday.
Titans Offense vs. Browns Defense
Few teams have fielded a less-inspiring offense dating back to the start of last season than the Tennessee Titans. Scoring typically teeters on the success of Derrick Henry, who is averaging a career-low 3.6 yards per carry this season. Last year, he led in the NFL in carries (349) but mustered a below-average 4.4 yards per attempt. Ryan Tannehill has attempted to spark a downfield passing game, but has just a 28.6% adjusted completion rate of throws beyond 20 yards.
Unfortunately for Tannehill, his receiving corps – led by Treylon Burks and DeAndre Hopkins – aren’t players that excel in getting separation. Both Hopkins and Burke specialize in contested catches and routes that scheme them open, leading to a high contested catch rate for both. However, Tannehill has been forcing the ball to his newest weapon in Hopkins, resulting in just two of five contested catches actually being caught. The Browns’ secondary is extremely talented and contested throws targeted at players like Denzel Ward and Emanuel Forbes may result in more turnovers than completions.
New offensive coordinator Tim Kelly may want to adjust his game plan heading into Cleveland. Thanks to a revamped defensive front that now includes Za’Darius Smith and Shelby Harris, the Browns are allowing just 3.2 yards per carry (fourth-fewest) and a 25% success rate, the best in the NFL. New coordinator Jim Schwartz cleaned up the sloppy defensive play calling that cost Cleveland plenty of games in the past.
Through two games, the Browns have allowed just one offensive touchdown.
Browns Offense vs. Titans Defense
Without Chubb in the lineup, the Browns’ offensive calculus changes. Backup Jerome Ford showed plenty of pop in his reserve work in Week 2, picking up over 100 yards at 6.6 yards per carry. On the season, Ford averages 4.45 yards after contact, slightly more than Chubb (4.05). Dawand Jones had his hands full in his first NFL start in relief of the injured Jack Conklin, manning up against Defensive Player of the Year TJ Watt for four quarters. This week against Tennessee, he’ll again see a talented pass rush in Denico Autry and Arden Key while the interior sees the likes of Jeffery Simmons (17.8% pass rush win rate).
When the ball is taken out of his running backs’ hands, Deshaun Watson falls apart. He allowed a strip sack returned for the game-winning touchdown in Week 2 and threw a pick-six to open the game (granted, a ball Harrison Bryant should have caught). But the days of 2019 Watson are apparently long gone – he’s shown indecisiveness, inaccuracy, and an overall inability to move the ball through the air. Receivers Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore have been there to bail Watson out from time to time, but the passing game just isn’t a current threat for Cleveland.
Despite inefficiency in empty sets, Kevin Stefanski insists on working them into his game plan. Cleveland has run the second-most empty set through two weeks (11%) despite previously having rostered the most dynamic back in football. Offensive play calling woes likely continue until someone other than Stefanski holds the call sheet.
Reasons To Bet The Over/Under
Perhaps the lone reason to even consider over points in this game could be that it simply fell to sickos-level of scoring. However, given that both of these teams want to run the football first, I cannot recommend a bet on the over Sunday. Though Ford showed serious promise as a relief back, he is not Chubb. Stefanski will also continue to be inefficient with his play calling, as has been the case for the past three seasons.
On the other side, Tennessee’s offense has been painfully inefficient for the past two years. They lack a true passing attack and Henry appears to be losing half a step, now not presenting the same home run threat on a play-by-play basis that he once did. Given the prowess of both defenses, lack of pop on either offense and potential weather, under 40.5 is still a play here.
Final Thoughts
For fans of hard-nosed football focused on the run game and talented defenses, this game is for you. For those hoping for much competence on the offensive side of the ball, you may want to avert your eyes. Should the run game not get going for Tennessee, Tannehill reverts to downfield contested jump balls that lead to a low completion and success rate. Especially against the likes of this Browns secondary, bombing it downfield likely doesn’t lead to much scoring for the Titans.
The Titans took a point of movement following the injury to Nick Chubb. The Browns still managed the game well enough against the Steelers, especially on defense, with a pair of defensive scores being the deciding factor for Pittsburgh. Tennessee lacks the defensive playmakers disruptive enough to force those kinds of turnovers.
In an affair projected to be as low-scoring as this one, taking the points with the underdog Titans is likely the savvy move. However, neither offense inspires me enough to bet the spread either way. In this game, I’m looking for every under possible – point total, team totals, player props, you name it. The winner of this game may not surpass 20 points.
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