Written By: Evan Perkins
The New England Patriots will travel to Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, to take on the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday, September 8, at 1:00 PM ET. In this NFL betting opportunity, the Bengals are favored, with odds showing a point spread of -7.5 (-110).
The Patriots had one of their worst seasons last year, going 4-13 and last in the AFC East. They also lost legendary coach Bill Belichick to retirement heading into this season, so a lot is happening.
They have moved on from Mac Jones as their quarterback and drafted Drake Maye in this year's draft. However, they are starting Jacoby Brissett instead of Maye. This move will likely get May acclimated to the experience without beating him up immediately.
The offensive line is not good, which is likely why they are not starting Maye since they do not want to risk him getting hurt. The offensive line has very little experience, and it will struggle for most of the season.
The Patriots ranked 31st in the league last year, averaging 13.9 points per game. Their defense was about league average, as they ranked 15th, allowing 21.5 points a game. Unfortunately, this is likely another season where they will put up similar numbers.
The Bengals were more appealing on paper despite not having Joe Burrow for a handful of games. They went 9-8 and were last in the AFC North.
With Burrow back at full strength, this roster might be ready to make a playoff run. They are still waiting on clearance from Ja'Marr Chase (contract dispute) and Tee Higgins (hamstring, doubtful), as both are quality receivers. They do have some depth here in case both cannot go, but those two are preferred options.
The backfield lost its best running back but was able to pick up Zack Moss. They also added Trent Brown (former Patriots right tackle), which should boost the offensive line. The defense is still in question, but they did add a handful of players to improve here.
The Bengals were roughly the league average (16th) at 21.5 points per game last year. About half of this average was without Burrows. On defense, they allowed 22.6 points per game and ranked 21st.
MyBookie offers compelling NFL betting odds in the upcoming New England Patriots vs. Cincinnati Bengals showdown. The Bengals are 7.5-point favorites at home and will have a healthy Joe Burrow to start the season.
According to market trends, the Bengals have a 74.2 percent chance of winning. The Patriots might be worse than last year, and this will be a tough test for them.
