Patriots vs. Bengals prediction, odds, pick for NFL Week 1
The New England Patriots will open the season against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium. We’re live from Cincinnati, sharing our NFL odds series while making a Patriots-Bengals prediction and pick.
The Patriots went 4-13 last season, missing the playoffs and mutually parting ways with longtime head coach Bill Belichick. Mac Jones is gone, and the Patriots drafted Drake Maye as their new quarterback. However, Jacoby Brissett will start Week 1. He will have running back Rhaomdre Stevenson in the backfield. Ultimately, Stevenson looks to improve on a session where he rushed 156 times for 619 yards and four touchdowns. Demario Douglas also returns after getting 49 receptions for 561 yards, while tight end Hunter Henry had 42 catches for 419 yards.
After jettisoning Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons, the defense will look slightly different. Now, they return with Christian Barmore, who led the team with 8.5 sacks. Ja’Whaun Bentley is back after garnering 114 tackles.
The Bengals struggled last season as Joe Burrow dealt with multiple injuries while passing for just 2,309 yards, 15 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Now, he hopes to stay healthy and bounce back. Ja’Marr Chase is back in practice while dealing with a contract dispute. Amazingly, he had 100 catches for 1,216 yards and seven touchdowns. Chase will look to get better with Burrow back. Meanwhile, Tee Higgins returns after catching 42 passes for 656 yards and two scores.
The defense still has some elite talent, especially Trey Hendrickson, who had 17.5 sacks. Sam Hubbard needs to do more after notching six sacks. Likewise, Logan Wilson wants to follow up a season where he had 135 tackles. Cam Taylor-Britt had four interceptions.
Here are the NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Patriots-Bengals Odds
New England Patriots: +8.5 (-115)
Moneyline: +310
Cincinnati Bengals: -8.5 (-105)
Moneyline: -390
Over: 40.5 (-118)
Under: 40.5 (-104)
How to Watch Patriots vs. Bengals
Time: 1 PM ET/10 AM PT
TV: CBS
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why The Patriots Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Patriots have a new offense. Unfortunately, the Mac Jones experiment did not work, and New England is back to the drawing board regarding quarterback talent.
The Patriots will have a new offense and an offensive coordinator. Alex Van Pelt takes over. He hopes to set up the West Coast Offense and establish the run game while setting up the play-action play. To do this, he will blend gap and zone schemes to attempt to fill the defense.
The defense will also have a new look and hope to start on a high note. Yet, this will feel different. Belichick is gone and Jerred Mayo is the new coach. Ultimately, this means there will be a different method of implementing plays. Trading Judon signals that the Patriots are starting over from scratch.
The Patriots will cover the spread if they can establish the run and chew the clock. Furthermore, they must pressure Burrow and prevent the Cincinnati offense from moving the ball.
Why The Bengals Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Bengals will try to stay healthy this season while moving the ball efficiently. Moreover, they expect to utilize new talent effectively while keeping their receivers happy.
Mike Geseki is the tight end and will line up in the slot. When Burrow cannot find Chase or Higgins, he will be a good option for the star quarterback. The Bengals must also get new running back Zack Moss involved. While this feels like a lateral move after allowing Joe Mixon to leave, Moss’s potential to become great is high, especially with how well he filled in for Jonathan Taylor while he was with the Indianapolis Colts.
The defense will need to continue to evolve. Ultimately, it means Myles Murphy can showcase he deserves more snaps after serving as a transitional pass rusher on the defensive side of the ball. The Bengals need Hendrickson to disrupt things and make life difficult for Brissett.
The Bengals will cover the spread if Burrow can find time to throw and his receivers in stride. Then, the defense must apply pressure and rush the passer.
Final Patriots-Bengals Prediction & Pick
The Patriots lead the series 17-10. However, the Bengals won the last matchup 22-19 on Christmas Eve 2022, overcoming them at Gillette Stadium. But the Bengals have not defeated the Patriots at home since 2013. Now, they can capitalize on a team that is clearly rebuilding.
The Patriots are 5-5 over the last 10 games on Week 1. Meanwhile, the Bengals are 4-5-1 over their past 10 Week 1 games. But the Patriots are likely to be one of the worst teams in football. Consequently, they will not have enough talent to compete with the Bengals. Expect the Bengals to roll over the Patriots to start their season on a high note for once.
Final Patriots-Bengals Prediction & Pick: Cincinnati Bengals: -8.5 (-105)
The post Patriots vs. Bengals prediction, odds, pick for NFL Week 1 appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings