Cleveland Browns at Kansas City Chiefs betting tips and NFL predictions

Free American football tips, best bets and analysis for Cleveland at Kansas City in Week 1 of the NFL.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event & NFL, 9.25pm Sunday

Best bet

Cleveland Browns +6.5
1pt 8-11 bet365

Preview

The Cleveland Browns have been waiting for this trip to Kansas City ever since the schedule was revealed and they can make good on their pre-season hype by pushing the Super Bowl favourites all the way.

The Chiefs ended Cleveland's 2020 campaign in the divisional round of the playoffs, clinging on for a 22-17 victory having lost quarterback Patrick Mahomes to injury in the first half.

Kansas City would go on to reach the Super Bowl, only to be thrashed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and they too will want to wash the taste of the previous season from their mouths.

Both teams return to the field looking stronger on paper with the Chiefs having improved the offensive line to give Mahomes more protection, while the Browns upgraded a defence that was far too leaky at times in 2020.

That new-look defence will certainly be tested by a star-studded Chiefs offence that had the best passing attack in the league last year and is returning the likes of Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill for Mahomes to utilise.

Questions remain about their defence, though, and Cleveland look the better balanced of the two teams with all their starters on offense, including a fit-again Odell Beckham Jr, available.

Cleveland tended to raise their game for the big match-ups last season, winning four of seven meetings with playoff teams, and they can push a Chiefs team who failed to cover in 11 of 19 outings in 2020.

The lowdown

Venue Arrowhead Stadium
Surface Grass
Weather Dry and hot, 32C
Vegas handicap Cleveland +5.5
Vegas points line 54.5

Team news

Kansas City
Defensive duo Derrick Nnadi and Frank Clark are both doubtful for the game after being limited in practice this week. Tyrann Mathieu could also miss out with Covid.

Cleveland
Jadeveon Clowney and Odell Beckham Jr are expected to play despite being listed as questionable on the injury report. JC Tretter and Grant Delpit are likely to miss out.

Key stat

The Browns are 4-1 in their last five games as a road underdog.

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