Minnesota Vikings vs Cleveland Browns Match Preview

The NFL heads to London for the first time this season on Sunday when the Minnesota Vikings take on the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Vikings are making the short hop from Dublin after a narrow 24-21 defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers, which should give them grounds for encouragement. Without injured starter J.J. McCarthy for a second straight week, Carson Wentz led a late rally with two fourth-quarter touchdown passes in trying circumstances.

A banged-up offensive line offered him little protection or rarely allowed the Vikings to establish the run, so he launched 46 pass attempts at Croke Park. Cleveland, meanwhile, make the transatlantic trip following a 34-10 loss to the Detroit Lions that raised yet more questions about the capability of 40-year-old Browns QB Joe Flacco. 

Tip 1: Under 36.0 Total Points @ 10/11

This matchup doesn’t scream fireworks. The Browns have failed to score more than 17 points in any of their games this year. Cleveland currently rank 31st in scoring and are bottom six for yards gained on offence. But while their passing game is past its best and the running game has yet to find its feet, the defence has been impressive on both counts.

The Browns’ number one-ranked rushing defence is allowing a mere 70 yards a game and a total of only two touchdowns on the ground. And their pass rush has been terrorising opponents from the get-go, with Myles Garrett racking up four sacks despite constantly being double-teamed.   

Minnesota have the weapons out wide to put up plenty of points but Wentz needs time in the pocket to get the ball downfield and he may struggle to evade the pressure for long enough this week. Likewise, Cleveland’s murky QB situation does not suggest they are going to suddenly burst into life behind Flacco, or more likely, rookie backup Dillon Gabriel.

Tip 2: Carson Wentz Over 0.5 Interceptions @ 5/8

Wentz has thrown nine picks across his two starts in relief of McCarthy this year and could be prone to at least one more when faced by a serious Browns pass rush backed up by some ball-hawking safeties and cornerbacks.

Tip 3: Vikings -0.5 First Half Spread @ 20/29

Cleveland have been slow out of the gate in all four of their matches so far this season, trailing at the interval in each. They were 14-10 behind at the half against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1, were 10-3 down at the break against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2 and faced a 10-point half-time deficit to the Green Bay Packers in the only game they have managed to win.

Last week in Detroit, the Lions led 20-7 at the half-way mark and eased down to a 34-10 victory. The Vikings were also in arrears to the Steelers at the mid-point of their Croke Park clash but have been much more competitive in the first halves of their other matches.