- What: Green Bay Packers vs. Cleveland Browns
- When: Saturday, Aug. 10 at 4:25 p.m. ET
- Where: FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio
- How to watch: CBS and FOX
Football is officially back in our lives and everyone is thrilled about this. While we're still about a month away from the regular season getting here, people are fired up over the first full weekend of preseason action. The Bears and Texans got things going last week, but now more fun showdowns are coming up soon for everyone to enjoy. Having said that, the Browns are favored over the Packers in their 2024 preseason opener. Which side will come out on top?
Entering the new campaign, there are a ton of eyes on the Browns. The hope is that a fully healthy Deshaun Watson can not only play well, but that he can also live up to the hype of his massive extension the team gave him not too long ago. Watson has struggled since joining Cleveland, but the weapons are in town to help him get his game back to a high level. Watson is also playing well so far during training camp. The same can be said about new wideout Jerry Jeudy.
| Packers vs. Browns odds |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Browns to win | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Packers to win | +125 | +125 | +125 |
| Over 42.5 points | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Under 42.5 points | -110 | -110 | -110 |
"Jerry's been a really fun addition to this group," head coach Kevin Stefanski said recently. "I think he does an outstanding job in the meeting room, on the practice field, has a great attitude, works very hard. Obviously excited to get him back out there and full speed and working with his teammates. But he fits in with us, how we operate, so we're excited to have him."
According to the best sports betting sites, which includes the reliable Bovada sportsbook review, the Browns hold -110 NFL betting odds to take down the Packers on Saturday night. Green Bay is hoping to pull off an upset, as they hold +125 odds to be victorious per the top NFL betting sites. This is going to be a fun game, but keep in mind that the starters on both teams won't be in action for the entire contest. Cleveland is hoping to defend its home field, but we're going in a different direction.
Deshaun Watson hits Jerry Jeudy with a dart 🎯
🎥: @dan_labbe pic.twitter.com/xdTTqR5QTC
— Browns Film Breakdown (@BrownsFilmBDN) August 4, 2024
The Packers are our pick to beat the Browns this weekend
Despite them being the road team, the Packers are our pick to beat the Browns this weekend. The main reason for that is Jordan Love. This summer, Green Bay made history with Love, giving him a $220 million extension. Love has only been the starter for one full season with Green Bay, but this organization sees a ton of potential in the former first-round pick. Love is going to want to make a statement as soon as possible.
We think he'll be able to do just that against the Browns. Love won't be playing the entire game, but look for him to make an immediate impact when he leads the offense out onto the field. From the moment he put the pen to paper on his massive extension, the former Utah State standout has been on a mission to prove that he will be worth every penny. Look for him to do just that against Cleveland.
Christian Watson beats Jaire Alexander and catches a beautiful ball from Jordan Love for a touchdown. Get used to this. pic.twitter.com/6d6xxzAhmj
— zach jacobson (@zacobson) August 4, 2024
"There's no guarantees about anything going forward. But we know how he's going to respond and how he's going to react and how he's going to work, instead of signing a player that has not been in your building and guaranteeing all that to him," Packers GM Brian Gutekunst said on the Love deal. "Certainly having four years with him, I think gives us a lot of comfort, and what he's all about and how his teammates look at him and the organization looks at him."
The Browns defense is going to have its hands full in trying to slow down Love and the rest of the Green Bay offense. It will be interesting to see how long head coach Matt LaFleur leaves out his starting unit, but they should be able to impress in this one. With Love looking to silence his haters, that's bad news for the Browns. With all of that said, we're indeed going with Green Bay as our pick to leave Cleveland with a victory.
Will Green Bay be able to win the NFC North this season?
A big question fans have on their minds is will Green Bay be able to win the NFC North this season? Right now, it's looking like a two-team race between Green Bay and Detroit. The Lions are coming off a great season in 2023 and they also gave quarterback Jared Goff an extension. Goff is going to have a lot of pressure on him this season, but there's a reason people are so high on him.
As for Green Bay, the offense is sharp, but there are some question marks about the defense. Having said that, Green Bay has what it takes to not only win the division, but also go on a deep postseason run. Soon enough, we'll see exactly what this team is made of, but our gut is telling us it will be a year to remember for Love and Co. Green Bay is our pick to win the division over the Lions.
