The Cleveland Browns host the Houston Texans in Week 2. In doing so, the Browns are the big favorites by 12.5 points according to sportsbooks, including our friends at tipico.
Assuming that holds to kickoff, that’s historic in a Cleveland sense.
Since the Browns came back to Lake Erie in 1999, that’s the largest edge they’ve ever been given in Las Vegas as ESPN’s Field Yates points out:
The Browns are currently 12.5-point favorites over the Texans for their game on Sunday.
If that line holds, it'll be the largest amount the Browns have been favored by in a game since the franchise returned to the NFL in 1999.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 16, 2021
Considering the Browns only made the playoffs one time between 1999 and 2019… that’s not the biggest shock, but it still really puts their recent history into perspective. Cleveland has waited a long time for this team to be put together this well.
And another thing to think about is the Texans.
They’re the big underdog, but they won in Week 1 over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Had they not, how large could the Browns’ edge have gotten?
In 2020, the Kansas City Chiefs vs. New York Jets gave the Chiefs last season’s largest spread. It was set at 20.5 in favor of KC.
Could Browns-Texans have pushed that territory had Houston lost their opener? Thankfully for the Texans, all we can do is ponder that idea.
