How Jacoby Brissett Starting Will Impact The Cleveland Browns Odds
The Cleveland Browns acquired Deshaun Watson this off-season to be the face of the franchise and hopefully lead the team back to the promised land.
However, due to Watson’s legal troubles – which has been well-documented – he will miss some games. Currently, he has been suspended for six games but the NFL has appealed it as they want Watson to be suspended for the entire season.
Even if the six-game suspension holds, Jacoby Brissett will be getting the ball for those six games, and how he does will impact whether or not the Cleveland Browns will even have a shot at the playoffs is Watson comes back after six games.
Brissett’s history as a starter?
Jacoby Brissett is just 14-23 as a starter in the NFL and last season went 2-3 with wins over Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens as he was a quarterback for the Miami Dolphins.
Brissett is one of the better backups in the NFL and can help keep teams afloat which is what the Cleveland Browns need him to do. The coaching staff has also been vocal in their support about Brissett and the QB will have a full camp to know the playbook and run the offense which is key.
“It’s been my situation throughout my career,” Brissett said. “Nothing that I’m unfamiliar with. Always been ready to go, whenever my number’s called, and that’s the case at this point now… Since I’ve been in this league, it’s been the next man up. So that experience obviously helps with not only the playing but also like the mindset of understanding — you gotta be ready whenever your number is called.”
In his career in the NFL, Brissett has played in 60 games with a 60.2 completion percentage with 36 touchdowns to 17 INTs.
How will the odds change?
When Deshaun Watson was supposed to play Week 1, Cleveland opened as a -4.5 favorite but as news began to trickle that he will be suspended, the odds have now gone to the Cleveland Browns at -1 against the Carolina Panthers.
Meanwhile, after Watson was suspense for six games, their Super Bowl odds went from +2200 to +2400 while winning the AFC North odds went from +1200 to +1300. Those odds will only go higher from that if Watson is suspended for the full season.
Brissett is still getting enough respect from the sportsbooks as Cleveland does have a well-rounded team that can win games with just average quarterback play.
Regardless, the longer Deshaun Watson is off the field and Jacoby Brissett starts, the Cleveland Browns’ odds will be worse but it hasn’t gotten to extreme as of yet as the suspension still isn’t finalized.
