It’s a new era for the New England Patriots.
For the first time since 1999, someone other than Bill Belichick will be guarding the team’s sideline when Jerod Mayo makes his debut as head coach against the Cincinnati Bengals. This is arguably the toughest matchup he can get early on, as he’s playing on the road against a potential Super Bowl contender and he starts as more than just a touchdown underdog. They’re the biggest underdogs on the Week 1 schedule.
The Patriots are just 5-14-1 against the spread in their last 20 games.
Despite using the third pick in the draft to select quarterback Drake Maye, the Patriots will begin the season with Jacoby Brissett as the starter in hopes he can provide experienced leadership to an offense that lacks playmakers and depth. How long this experiment lasts, however, remains to be seen.
The Patriots will have to fight for points all season and will have to turn every game into a low-scoring defensive battle to get the wins they do get.
The good news: Their defense might be able to do that on occasion, and they might catch the Bengals at the right moment, too. Although quarterback Joe Burrow is back after missing the second half of last season with a wrist injury, he has tended to start slowly over the past two seasons, and the availability of superstar wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is still unknown, as he barely practiced in the preseason due to a contract dispute. On Saturday, the team updated Chase’s questionable status and also disclosed an illness concern.
If Chase doesn’t play and Burrow continues to be limited in some way due to his wrist injury, it could help narrow what would otherwise be a crucial talent gap between the two teams on paper.
All odds from BetMGM. Looking for NFL tickets? Find them here.
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Odds for New England Patriots vs Cincinnati Bengals
How to watch Patriots vs. Bengals
- Venue: Paycor Stadium – Cincinnati
- Time: 1:00 p.m. ET, Sunday
- TV: CBS
- Streaming: Watch live on Fubo (Save $30)
Expert tips for Patriots vs. Bengals
Read more about NFL Week 1
Odds, expert tips and previews for all 16 games of NFL Week 1
Week 1 Score Predictions: Model predictions for spread and total for each game
NFL Tips Week 1: Trust in Josh Allen and let the Bo Nix hype die down for now
(Photo by Joe Burrow: Sam Greene / The Enquirer / USA Today Network)
