NFL Sunday is so close you can almost taste it! With the common storyline of quarterbacks facing off with their former teams in Week 1, the Cleveland Browns will travel to Bank of America Stadium to square off with Baker Mayfield and the Carolina Panthers. Bust out the popcorn, as it is time to take a look at our NFL odds series, where our Browns-Panthers prediction and pick will be revealed.

No doubt, the Cleveland Browns made headline news not only within the NFL but in all of America when they decided to move on from Baker Mayfield by acquiring Deshaun Watson from the Texans during the offseason. While there was certainly an uproar among the Browns fan base after making the move for the highly controversial, they will instead be forced to start backup Jacoby Brissett after Watson was suspended by the NFL for the first 11 games of the season. After going 8-9 in 2021, can the Browns avoid taking a step back with Brissett at the helm?

Since the day Baker Mayfield was treated like the second option when Cleveland expressed interest in Watson, the Oklahoma Sooners quarterback knew that he needed some fresh scenery. Even in his college days that saw him win the Heisman Trophy, the former walk-on in Mayfield has always played with a chip on his shoulder. With revenge fresh on his mind, the Panthers will also be entering into the third year with Matt Rhule running the show. Will Carolina start the season on the right foot?

Here are the Browns-Panthers NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NFL Odds: Browns-Panthers Odds

Cleveland Browns: -1.5 (-105)

Carolina Panthers: +1.5 (-115)

Over: 41.5 (-114)

Under: 41.5 (-106)

Why The Browns Could Cover The Spread

At first glance at this roster, the Browns are in good hands with QB Jacoby Brissett no matter what anybody says. This surely isn't Brissett's first rodeo in filling in as the starter for a team. Throughout his career, Brissett's numbers suggest that he could actually keep the boat afloat while Watson serves his suspension. Even though Brissett is 14-23 as a starter, he has thrown 36 touchdowns to 17 interceptions and does a tremendous job of not turning the ball over.

When it comes to their matchup with the Panthers on Sunday, expect the Browns to use a heavy dosage of play action with Brissett and their talented backs. Without a doubt, the Browns will emphasize their game plan around Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt and will use a smash-mouth approach to take Carolina out of their element early.

Another factor that Cleveland will need to hone down to cover the spread will be their dominant offensive line play that was the second-highest rated unit in the entire league a year ago. Keeping Brissett upright and establishing running lanes is something that Cleveland can take advantage of on Sunday afternoon.

Why The Panthers Could Cover The Spread

The time has finally come! Ever since Baker Mayfield was sent to Carolina, football fans from all over America have circled this date on their calendar. More importantly, Mayfield has a chance to prove to Cleveland that they made a massive mistake in parting ways with him. Although Carolina is excited about their new field general, many are eager to see how Baker plays fresh off of a sustained torn labrum on his non-throwing shoulder from a season ago. After undergoing surgery in mid-January, Carolina will get a chance to see a fully healthy Mayfield at work.

Currently serving as a +1.5 point underdog, Carolina will need to jump out to a good start in order to instill some confidence on both sides of the ball. Conversely, the Panthers had the second-most turnovers in all of football, as they could not figure out a way to stay in possession of the ball. While this can certainly be attributed to poor quarterback play, the Panthers won't have much of a chance if their turnover-plagued ways come back to haunt them. Not to mention, but keeping a clean bill of healthy will go a long way for this team, especially regarding superstar running back Christian McCaffrey. When fully healthy, this Panthers offense can be extremely dangerous.

Another factor that may give Panthers fans and bettors alike some hope? Look no further than the fact that Cleveland is a dreadful 1-21 in season openers dating back to 1999.

Final Browns-Panthers Prediction & Pick

Are we really gonna bet against Baker in this one? Not a chance. Mayfield was treated terribly during his exit, and now that he is fully healthy, the first-year Panthers quarterback will be playing pissed off all game long.

Final Browns-Panthers Prediction & Pick: Panthers +1.5 (-115)