ST. LOUIS VS CLEVELAND – 8/23/14 FREE PICK & ODDS | OSB
Both the St. Louis Rams and the Cleveland Browns have lost their previous preseason games and will be looking for their first win in the campaign when they face each other this Saturday in Cleveland. This has all the ingredients to be one of the most interesting games of the week, and despite the fact that Brian Hoyer has been declared the starter of the Browns, it should be interesting to see how Johnny Manziel will cope with his backup role, and also considering all the positions that are still up for grabs on each roster.
These are the betting odds that have been posted on this 2014 NFL preseason game at BetOnAnySports, your home for the best NFL betting options:
The St. Louis Rams have been disappointing this preseason and have a whole lot to improve, after putting on awful performances against both the Saints and the Packers. Pass protection will be under scrutiny against the Browns, after the Rams have already given up 11 sacks on the previous two games. Last week, in the 21-7 home loss against the Green Bay Packers, the Rams offense gained only 78 yards on the ground on 27 attempts and 138 yards through the air. On the defensive side of the ball, the numbers also didn’t look great, as the team allowed 261 passing yards against a Packers offensive side that looked as good as ever. Sam Bradford seemed solid at the quarterback position, going 9-for-12 for 101 yards and a touchdown. Left tackle Jack Long should make his first appearance in this preseason after recovering from the ACL surgery, which is great news for the Rams that need to solidify their offensive line going into the season.
With a 24-23 result, the Browns lost their second game of the preseason on the road against the Washington Redskins, and their offense was far from impressive, scoring just three points in the first three quarters. Despite the fact that none of the candidates for the quarterback position stood out, Brian Hoyer has been named the starter for their first game of the season against the Steelers, but that fact won’t certainly take all the attention away from rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel. Hoyer completed 2 of his 6 throws for 16 yards while Manziel was 7-for-16 for 65 yards and a touchdown. With wide receiver Josh Gordon’s suspension still to be decided, the Browns must find other players in that position that can step up and fill his void, with ex-Cowboys Miles Austin looking to be the most serious candidate to do that. The third game of the preseason is traditionally when the starters spend the most time on the field, which means that this will be a very important game for both the St. Louis Rams and the Cleveland Browns. The Rams pass protection must improve quickly if they intend to keep Sam Bradford healthy throughout the season. The Browns will try to shut down their opponents’ receiving corps with their impressive secondary unit, and on the other side of the ball they will rally behind quarterback Brian Hoyer in order to get ready for the first game of the season. The Rams poor preseason will probably continue this Saturday with the Browns grabbing their first win.
Our Prediction: Browns Win
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