The New York Jets and Cleveland Browns have the honor of kicking off the NFL preseason when they square off in the 2022 NFL Hall of Fame Game on Thursday at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton. Cleveland (7-10 in 2022) is appearing in the annual contest for the sixth time and first since 1999, when it improved to 2-3 with a 20-17 victory against Dallas. The Jets (7-10) lost to Chicago in their Hall of Fame Game debut in 1977, but evened their record with a 41-14 rout of Philadelphia 15 years later.
Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET. Cleveland is a 2.5-point favorite in the latest Browns vs. Jets odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 31.5. Before making any Jets vs. Browns picks or 2023 NFL Hall of Fame Game predictions, you need to hear what SportsLine NFL expert R.J. White has to say.
Over the past seven years, White, a CBS Sports fantasy and gambling editor, has gone 376-290-24 in the world's most prestigious football handicapping competition, the Las Vegas SuperContest. He also is SportsLine's No. 1 NFL expert, going 535-450-30 on his against-the-spread NFL picks from 2017-22, returning $3,532 to $100 players. Anyone who has followed him is way up.
Now, he has locked in on Browns vs. Jets and released a confident against-the-spread pick. You can head to SportsLine now to see White's pick. Here are the NFL odds and betting lines for Jets vs. Browns:
- Browns vs. Jets spread: Cleveland -2.5
- Browns vs. Jets over/under: 31.5 points
- Browns vs. Jets money line: Cleveland -135, New York +115
- CLE: Browns won their first four preseason games under head coach Kevin Stefanski before losing their last two
- NYJ: Jets are 5-0-1 in the preseason under head coach Robert Saleh
- Browns vs. Jets picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Browns can cover
Watson likely won't be on the field Thursday since coach Kevin Stefanski wants to take a long look at rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson. The 23-year-old spent five seasons at UCLA before being taken in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, starting 48 of the 50 games in which he appeared. Thompson-Robinson excelled in his final year with the Bruins, throwing for 3,169 yards and 27 touchdowns with 10 interceptions while also rushing for 12 scores in 13 contests.
With Thompson-Robinson penciled in as Cleveland's third-string quarterback, Stefanski will have his eye on the battle for the No. 2 spot between Joshua Dobbs and Kellen Mond. Dobbs made his first two NFL starts late last season for Tennessee after being released by the Browns when Watson returned from his suspension and was unable to get the Titans into the postseason, losing both contests. Mond appeared in one game with Minnesota as a rookie in 2021 before spending last year on the bench as the Browns' No. 3 signal-caller. See picks at SportsLine.
Why the Jets can cover
Unlike the regular season, New York has enjoyed nothing but success under head coach Robert Saleh during the preseason. The club posted a 2-0-1 exhibition record in 2021, Saleh's first year at the helm, before winning all three contests last preseason. While four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers won't make his Jets debut on Thursday, Saleh will have a few familiar faces under center against the Browns.
Zach Wilson, who was taken with the second overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, is expected to start the contest. The 23-year-old completed 15-of-20 pass attempts for 191 yards and two touchdowns in two preseason games in 2021, but suffered a knee injury in last year's exhibition opener after going 3-of-5 for 23 yards with one interception. Chris Streveler, who also should see some action, was impressive last preseason, as he was 24-of-33 for 277 yards with five TDs and an interception in three contests. See picks at SportsLine.
How to make Browns vs. Jets picks
White has analyzed this matchup and while we can tell you he's leaning Over on the point total, he has also discovered a crucial x-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back. He's only sharing what it is and which side to back at SportsLine.
Who wins Jets vs. Browns in the NFL Hall of Fame Game 2023, and what critical factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Browns vs. Jets spread you should jump on, all from the top NFL expert who's brought in more than $3,500, and find out.
