The Cleveland Browns aren't used to getting love from the national media, but they're certainly getting it this week. Fresh off a drubbing of the Cincinnati Bengals and sitting atop the AFC North with a 6-3 record, the Browns are heavily favored by NFL experts this weekend against the Houston Texans.
Texans vs. Browns 2014 picks and predictions: Cleveland a heavy favorite
This whole “being expected to win” thing must feel strange for the Browns.
Ron Schwane-USA TODAY Sports
The Texans' grand hopes of a 2014 turnaround have nosedived over the last month as they've dropped four out of their last five games (in fairness, those losses have come during a brutal stretch of opponents: Dallas, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia). But the Browns will be seeing a new-look Texans team this weekend. Ryan Mallett, the longtime backup to Tom Brady in New England, will be making his first NFL start.
It won't be an easy one. Cleveland's defense ranks 12th in the league in pass defense and hampered Andy Dalton into one of the worst quarterback performances in NFL history last Thursday.
The experts are aware of the mismatch. Only three of the 27 combined panelists at ESPN, Fox Sports and CBS Sports are picking the Texans. It’s a bit closer at SB Nation, where three of our eight pickers are siding with Houston.
| Ryan Van Bibber | Stephen White | Joel Thorman | David Fucillo | Danny Kelly | PFT Commenter | Matt Ufford | OddShark Computer | |
| HOU vs. CLE | HOU | HOU | CLE | CLE | CLE | CLE | HOU | CLE |
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