Week 8 of the NFL season has come and nearly gone, but there’s still one game left to be played this week. One between two divisions rivals as the Cleveland Browns will play host to the Cincinnati Bengals tonight for the Week 8 edition of Monday Night Football.
Neither team has started off the season as they hoped, but the Bengals are in the process of turning things around. The Browns will not go away, though, as their hope is to have a respectable record by the time their future at quarterback, Deshaun Watson, becomes available off his 11-game suspension.
Browns (2-5) vs. Bengals (4-3) game info
When: Monday, October 31st, 2022
Kickoff: 8:15 PM ET
Where: Cleveland, OH | FirstEnergy Stadium
How to watch: ABC, ESPN, NFL+
Unfortunately, both teams are dealing with their fair share of injuries, more than in the case of the Browns. Cleveland will be without starting tight end David Njoku, linemen Joe Haeg and Wyatt Teller, and star cornerback Denzel Ward. On top of that, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Greedy Williams, and Greg Newsome II are all listed as questionable.
For Cincinnati, it’s all about superstar wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase who will miss the next 4-6 weeks with a hip injury. A devastating blow to a team, and even in the case of the Bengals, one that will hurt. Working in Cincinnati’s favor, however, is their depth at that position.
After Chase, the Bengals have Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd on the depth chart. Both are among the top tier of second and third options, respectively. The Bengals’ passing attack may not be the same, but it won’t be stagnant, either.
Tonight’s game is expected to feature its fair share of exciting highlights. However, with these must-play props, one can create even more excitement by joining the action:
Joe Burrow | Over 1.5 Total Passing Touchdowns | -165
Joe Burrow may be without his top target tonight, but he is still Joe Burrow and will still have targets such as Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, Hayden Hurst, and Joe Mixon.
Cleveland’s defense has only given up 1.1 passing touchdowns per game to quarterbacks, but the Browns will be without top corner, Denzel Ward. Additionally, corners Greedy Williams and Greg Newsome II are a bit banged up, giving Burrow and the Bengals the perfect opportunity to attack through the air.
Take the over for Joe Burrow passing touchdowns tonight.
Nick Chubb | Over 82.5 Total Rushing Yards | -125
Nick Chubb is one of the top running backs in the entire league. He ranks third in rushing yards, is averaging 5.9 yards per carry on a high volume, and is averaging over 100 rushing yards per game.
Despite the fact that Cincinnati possesses a top-10 rushing defense (81.9 rushing yards per game to running backs), there appears to be no denying the heart of the Cleveland Browns offense. There always remains a chance that the Bengals could run the score up early, leaving the Browns no choice but to turn to the aerial attack, but heading into the game; the plan is absolutely to hand it off to Nick Chubb and watch him work.
For tonight’s game, take the over on Nick Chubb’s total rushing yards.
Joe Mixon | Anytime Touchdown | -120
Joe Mixon has had a down season; there are no two ways about it. With that said, he’s still a top-10 running back in this league. The Cleveland Browns also feature one of the worst rushing defenses in the entire league, giving up 115 yards per game to running backs and an astonishing 1.4 rushing touchdowns per game to backs.
With Ja’Marr Chase missing tonight’s game — despite Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd — the Bengals will likely lean a bit more heavily against the Browns, considering the aforementioned run defense. Mixon has only found the endzone three total times this season, but that’s also three times in the past four seasons.
Take the Anytime Touchdown tonight for Joe Mixon.
