Ask the Oddsmakers: Why are the Undefeated Cardinals Underdogs Again vs. Browns?

The Arizona Cardinals are the lone undefeated team in the NFL, and yet they're underdogs to a 3-2 Cleveland Browns team on the road.

The public seems to have bought in after the Cardinals 37-20 blowout road victory against the then-leading division leader Los Angeles Rams back in Week 4, but the sportsbooks and sharps remained on the other side. In Week 5, the public won with Arizona covering the 5.5-point spread at home against the 49ers with a 17-10 victory. Despite an MVP campaign from quarterback Kyler Murray, the books and the public remain on different sides with this team.

When we spoke with WynnBET Trader Sawyer Johnson last week for "Ask the Oddsmakers," heshared their perspective regarding how the books are evaluating the Cardinals.

“I am buying that they have made a major step from last season," Sawyer told BetSided.

"But, I still don’t view them as an elite team in the league. Each team faces adversity at some point in the season, and they haven’t faced it yet. As soon as they face adversity and overcome it, that is when I will be sold on them.”

This week, the Cardinals travel to Cleveland for an afternoon matchup with the Browns. The Browns, despite losing 47-42 last week to the Los Angeles Chargers, are still 3.5-point favorites at WynnBET this week. While Arizona is not one of the highest liabilities this week, they have heavy splits in their favor on the moneyline at current odds of +145. The total now sits at 48.

WynnBET Senior NFL Trader Motoi Pearson weighed in on the public's continued interest in taking the underdog Cardinals.

“The Arizona Cardinals being 5-0 and getting any variation between +150 and +160 was something we knew that we were going to take heavy action on. I can’t imagine another moneyline on the board as popular as Arizona’s.”

The Browns opened as 2.5-point favorites but have since moved to 3.5 throughout the week. Arizona will be without head coach Kliff Kingsbury who had a confirmed positive COVID-19 test. Meanwhile, they'll also be without defensive end Chandler Jones, while the Browns confirmed running back Nick Chubb will miss today's game.