Posted at 3:00 PM EST odds are subject to change.

Pinnacle +3 +106 BET365 +3 +100 SportsInteraction +3 +103 888Sport +3 +105

Cleveland +3 +105 over Cleveland

8:15 PM EST. The league did itself no favors by scheduling the Browns to host Monday Night Football on Halloween. What would you rather do, watch your kids/grandkids get some free candy or watch Jacoby Brissett play football? Perhaps that is what commissioner Roger Goodell had in mind when he whipped the schedule up. On one hand, perhaps he was punishing the Browns for trading and signing Deshaun Watson to a huge money deal and wanted the world to see their warts at the two month mark. Maybe it wasn’t that nefarious, and dude isn’t just some vengeful, money grubbing, concussion denying overlord, he’s a big softy who wants to be known as the “cool house” because he gives out full sized PayDay bars. If this game featured the Chiefs, Cowboys or Bills, the traffic around Uncle Rog’s place might be a little light. Hey, who can blame the guy, we all want to be liked.

Now to the scary season the hosts are having, as the Brownies are just 2-5 overall and 3-4 where it matters most, at the pay window. The results are bad, but Cleveland is a prime example of a tough luck team that could be in a totally different position than if it had a few bounces gone its way. The Browns have lost four games this season by a combined nine points, dropping games to the Jets (31-30), Falcons (23-20), Chargers (30-28) and Baltimore last Sunday, 23-20. Had the Browns just split those games, they’d be 4-3 and right in the thick of it in the AFC North.

As the only team in the NFL that wears black and orange, the Bengals should be forced to play every Halloween. Cincinnati is hitting its stride, so it doesn’t likely want the night off. The Bengals have gone 4-1 in their last five and have hit pay dirt in all five of those games. 

The Bengals have made history already this season, as they have not allowed a second half touchdown in any of their seven games. That makes them just the third team since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to achieve such a feat. It’s impressive, but also incredibly fortunate. Do you know how lucky you have to be to go on a run like that? Its rarity should be a pretty good indication. The media is going to hype that so this isn't going to be the last time you hear about it. You’re also going to hear about Joe Burrow, 

Rarely do we discuss injuries, but we’d be remiss not to discuss the two big ones. Jamarr Chase of the Bengals and the man that was likely to shadow him all night long, Denzel Ward from the Browns. Those are two studs, but they pretty much cancel each other out. The perception in the market is that the Bengals should be able to take advantage of the depleted Cleveland secondary, as they still sport a high octane offense with Tee Higgens and Tyler Boyd as the main wide receivers for Joe Burrow, who is also on a heater. In his last five games Burrow has passed for 1,560 yards with a 12-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Burrow or Brissett are part of your choices today. You may also read or hear that the Bengals are 8-1 Against the Spread in their last nine road contests. 

What you will not read or hear about is that Burrow racked up those skewed numbers against Atlanta, New Orleans, Miami (without Tua) and the Jets. The Bengals are 4-3 this year and are without one good win. They lost to Pittsburgh, Dallas and Baltimore while defeating Atlanta, New Orleans, Miami (without Tua) and the Jets. Atlanta made P.J. Walker look like Dan Marino yesterday while the Saints make every QB not named Derek Carr look like Dan Marino. Don’t get us wrong, as Burrow is among the best but the Bengals are not. Cinci has racked up a bunch of misleading stats recently and the media is eating it up and giving it out like  it’s Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. 

Oddsmakers have set a price here to attract Cinci money. That’s a trick, not a treat and we therefore have to go contrarian once again and take the points. Happy Halloween.