Why I’m taking the road favorite in Week 2 MNF

The New York Jets host the Cleveland Browns in a Monday Night Football matchup that went from intriguing to ugly in short order. The Browns are a six-point road favorite at the DraftKings Sportsbook, thanks in large part to the absence of quarterback Sam Darnold and linebacker C.J. Mosley.

The Jets were looking to rebound from their Week 1 blown lead against the Buffalo Bills, except they managed to lose two of their most critical players this week. Darnold was diagnosed with mono and could miss multiple weeks. Mosley suffered a groin injury in Week 1 and was ruled out after missing practice all week.

Darnold is the bigger impact on the line, but both are critical options that will not be playing. I was all set to jump on the Jets as the underdog against what might be an overrated Browns team. And yet, the injuries are piling up for the Jets. Le’Veon Bell is still a huge weapon, and Trevor Siemian does have some NFL experience. But it’s just not enough. This is a rare instance where I’ll change my mind and lay the points with the road dog. The Browns are still a big question mark, but this is a matchup that offers them a bounce-back opportunity. And if the Browns do lose, things could get ugly in Cleveland.

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