Betting The Browns: Cleveland's Starters Are Sitting Tonight And Urban Meyer Is Trying To Teach The Jaguars How To Win
I know it's just preseason Week 1, but could a movie director construct a better matchup than this one? I guess maybe if you don't happen to be from Cleveland and an Ohio State grad like myself, there might be better options on a Saturday night than watching the Browns non-starters go up against a team that finished 1-15 last season. But for me? There's three things in play tonight that make this game an absolute Must Watch.
#1.) The Browns are legit Super Bowl contenders this year.
Guys I know that within the last 5 years we've had both 1-15 and 0-16 seasons in Cleveland, but Andrew Berry, Kevin Stefanski, and Baker Mayfield have completely turned the franchise around to the point where it's criminal that the Barstool Sportsbook is only giving the Browns the 4th best odds to win the AFC. Have they not seen this roster? Did they not see them last year….? Our offense was on par with the Chiefs in the playoffs; we just couldn't stop a nosebleed on defense. And we've addressed that and then some.
This is the Browns year and I don't care if it's preseason Week 1 or the unavoidable rematch with the Chiefs in the playoffs this mid-January, I'm watching every moment of it and soaking it in. Shit like this doesn't come around every year.
#2.) This is Urban Meyer's first NFL (preseason) game.
Urban Meyer is without question the most influential man in my life. Sitting at BW3s as a freshman in college, watching my classmates get embarrassed by a terrible Florida team in the Gator Bowl to fall to 6-7 on the season, was by far the lowest point in my time here on Earth. Did I make the wrong decision? Should I have been Oklahoma's Tate instead? I didn't know much but I knew that 3 more years of Luke Fickell at the helm would kill me. And then it happened, Urban Meyer showed up and changed my life. Groomed me into the man I am today. A 2014 National Champion. And for that reason, the Jaguars have been adopted as my first ever 2nd NFL team. I wish Urban Meyer nothing but the best of luck, and I look forward to battling with the Jaguars in the AFC Championships for years to come.
#3.) Tim Tebow is playing.
With the majority of big name starters sitting across the league, Timmy Tebow lining up as the 4th string Tight End tonight is about as much entertainment as we're going to get until real thing kicks off on September 9th. And if starters aren't playing, doesn't that mean Tebow is going to get a lot of reps tonight to show he belongs? That's must watch television right there itself. And you know Urban Meyer has a soft spot for his former quarterback, meaning I wouldn't be surprised to see him dial up an easy catch or two, hopefully one in the end zone.
And with all of that being said, my ass is going to have 18 wings and a couple cold, refreshing pilsners lined up for tonights game. And if I'm going to be tuned in, I might as well handicap it. Preseason for gamblers is a warmup for the regular season, just like it is for the players.This will just be a classic situation where I'll count the win and make my record (1-0) if it hits, and I won't if it doesn't.
The fact of the matter when betting this game is that nothing matters other than who it matters more to. Sure, the Browns have the much more talented roster, but Baker, Chubb, Jarvis, OBJ, and Myles Garrett likely aren't going to be out there at all tonight….
So is Case Keenum leading the backups and the soon to be cuts better than the Jaguars, who have said they are having an open competition for QB and need to learn how to win? Both Gardner Minshew and Trevor Lawrence are playing tonight. And more importantly, Urban Meyer is going to try and instill his win at all costs mentality on a franchise that is not used to winning. This game doesn't matter at all to the Browns, but the Jaguars are going to try and win it and build on that feeling.
I'm riding with Urban Meyer tonight in a Set The Tone preseason game. Jags -3.5