The Kansas City Chiefs will host the Cleveland Browns in their final tune-up before kicking off the regular season as they look to defend their Super Bowl LVII title, which is set to kick off on Sept. 7 at Arrowhead. Patrick Mahomes may be a mere spectator, giving way to Blaine Gabbert and Shane Buechele, allowing them to share the bulk of work under center for Kansas City in Saturday’s preseason finale (1 p.m. ET, NFL Network).
Read on as we break down the Browns-Chiefs Week 3 preseason game.
Browns vs Chiefs Odds
NFL odds used for this Cleveland vs Kansas City preview were found at DraftKings Sportsbook and are current as of Aug. 22 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Browns (-180) • Chiefs (+150)
- Spread: Browns - 3.5 (-110) • Chiefs +3.5 (-110)
- Total Points: Over 41.5 (-110) • Under 41.5 (-110)
- Implied Score: Browns 22.5, Chiefs 19
Browns vs Chiefs Predictions
Score Pick: Browns 23, Chiefs 20
The Browns enter their preseason finale with a record of 1-1-1, having had an extra week of preparation from the Hall of Fame Game. Head coach Kevin Stefanski is planning to play Deshaun Watson and several other starters between 20-25 plays, though he acknowledged that could change depending on how long, if at all, the Chiefs play their starters.
Watson appeared in one drive in an Aug. 11 loss to Washington but did not take the field in last Thursday’s tie with Philadelphia. Instead, rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson split time with Kellen Mond. After an inconsistent training camp, Watson made it clear that he wants to get more reps under his belt.
Kansas City, meanwhile, is likely to take a more conservative approach. Mahomes looked sharp (10-of-15, 105 yards, 1 TD) in his quarter of action in Saturday’s rout of Arizona, and the Chiefs obviously know what they have in their two-time MVP. Their focus at this point is more so on the battle for Mahomes’ backup between Gabbert and Buechele.
While results tend to be inconsequential this time of year, there’s still plenty the Browns need to iron out ahead of their regular season opener against AFC North rival Cincinnati. Thus, I’m taking Cleveland here in a close one.
Browns vs Chiefs Best Bets & Props
Chiefs +3.5 (-110)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 unit
Mahomes presumably got all the work he needed last week against the Cardinals. Without him, this game will likely boil down to the third- and fourth-stringers.
That said, there’s enough talent behind the all-world quarterback to keep this competitive. Kansas City still has a few roster spots to be decided, one of which is the backup to Mahomes. The last few wide receiver spots remain open as well, with rookie Rashee Rice standing out with 11 catches for 126 yards this preseason.
Take the Chiefs to cover the spread as our NFL bet of the day.
Browns Win by 1-13 Points (+145)
FanDuel Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 unit
Twelve of the 16 games in Week 2 were decided by 12 points or fewer, one more than the previous week. What to make of this? Well, starters rarely play in the preseason, and teams constantly change their lineups, making it tougher to get into a rhythm over the course of a given game.
This matchup should be no different in that regard.
Over 41.5 (-110)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 unit
Teams tend to keep their game plans vanilla in the preseason, knowing winning comes secondary to development. As such, you’ll generally see projected totals down across the league.
Despite that, the Chiefs have remained proficient offensively this summer, averaging 31 points through two games. Furthermore, against Arizona, they racked up 504 yards, 393 of which came through the air.
Look for both teams to remain aggressive as they both work on determining who will back up their respective starters at quarterback. Even at 41.5 points, the highest total on the board, the Over is worth targeting.
Browns vs Chiefs Same Game Parlay
Browns vs Chiefs SGP (+196)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1unit
- Browns (-180)
- Over 41.5 (-110)
Instead of the spread — which, mind you, comes with better odds — I’m going with Cleveland to win outright here. Preseason games are often unpredictable in how they unfold, and there’s no guarantee the Browns starters will indeed play as much as Stefanski says. Because of that, I’m buying myself a bit more room if the Browns fail to cover.
That said, even if it’s mostly backups suiting up, the Chiefs’ offense should help push this total close to 41.5 points. Kansas City scored that nearly by itself last week.
