After pulling off a historical comeback to win Super Bowl 51 this past season, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are the prohibitive NFL beting favorites to win Super Bowl 52 and for good reason, seeing as how they’ve been perennially powerful under head coach Bill Belichick and their future Hall of Fame quarterback.
No matter how you think the Pats will fare in their quest to win back-to-back Super Bowl titles, here are six games on New England’s 2017 schedule that clearly qualify as must-bet affairs. Here is a look at New England’s 2016 stats, followed by my analysis on their six, must-bet games on their 2017 schedule.
Offense
Defense
Analysis: The Patriots will be at home in their regular season opener, but I really like the Kansas City Chiefs to show up and give the Pats a hard way to go while narrowly covering the spread as touchdown road dogs after going 6-2 on the road a year ago. Kansas City has an elite defense that ranked seventh in points allowed last season and that should be enough for Andy Reid’s team to get the ATS cover at the very least.
Pick: Kansas City +7 Points
Analysis: Despite going 2-6 ATS on the road in 2016, Houston’s league-leading overall defense should be able to keep them in this Week 2 affair, not to mention the fact that they’ll almost assuredly get some competent play out of the quarterback position for the first time in the Bill O’Brien era.
Pick: Houston +9 Points
Analysis: Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers won’t get the outright road upset in this Week 4 affair, but I do like the NFC South Super Bowl hopefuls to cover the spread because of what I expect to be an improved defense in 2017 – and the addition of gifted triple-threat star Christian McCaffery.
Pick: Carolina +9 Points
Analysis: The Falcons blew their chance to win the first Super Bowl in franchise history and now they’ll get another crash course on just how to beat Brady and company, but I don’t see it happening with the Pats playing at home and already having figured out the Falcons.
Pick: New England -6.5 Points
Analysis: This Super Bowl 50 rematch looks like it could be a thriller – if Denver can improve an offensive attack that ranked an uninspiring 22nd (20.8 ppg) in scoring a year ago. Personally, I don’t see it happening for the Broncos, even though I admit they are tough to beat in the Mile High City.
Pick: New England -3 Points
Analysis: The Oakland Raiders are one of the most explosive teams in the league and could be even better in 2017 after adding veteran running back Marshawn Lynch. The Raiders went 12-4 in their breakout campaign last season and have plenty of offense, but they also ranked in the bottom third in every meaningful defensive statistical category while finishing 26th in total defense. The Patriots get the huge win in Viva La Mexico!
Pick: New England -1.5 Points
No matter how you think the Pats will fare in their quest to win back-to-back Super Bowl titles, here are six games on New England’s 2017 schedule that clearly qualify as must-bet affairs. Here is a look at New England’s 2016 stats, followed by my analysis on their six, must-bet games on their 2017 schedule.
New England Patriots 2017 NFL Betting Analysis And Guide
Team Leaders| Touchdowns | LeGarrette Blount | 18 |
| Rushing | LeGarrette Blount | 1161 |
| Passing | Tom Brady | 3554 |
| Receiving | Julian Edelman | 1106 |
| Sacks | Trey Flowers | 7.0 |
| Interceptions | Malcolm Butler | 4 |
Offense
| Season Stats | Rank | |
| Total Yards | 386.2 | 4 |
| Passing Yards | 269.2 | 4 |
| Rushing Yards | 117 | 7 |
| Points Scored | 27.6 | 3 |
| Field Goal % | 84.4 | 19 |
Defense
| Season Stats | Rank | |
| Total Yards | 326.4 | 8 |
| Passing Yards | 237.9 | 12 |
| Rushing Yards | 88.6 | 3 |
| Points Allowed | 15.6 | 1 |
| Field Goal % | 72.4 | 3 |
Week 1
Chiefs at Patriots (-7)Analysis: The Patriots will be at home in their regular season opener, but I really like the Kansas City Chiefs to show up and give the Pats a hard way to go while narrowly covering the spread as touchdown road dogs after going 6-2 on the road a year ago. Kansas City has an elite defense that ranked seventh in points allowed last season and that should be enough for Andy Reid’s team to get the ATS cover at the very least.
Pick: Kansas City +7 Points
Week 3
Texans at Patriots (-9)Analysis: Despite going 2-6 ATS on the road in 2016, Houston’s league-leading overall defense should be able to keep them in this Week 2 affair, not to mention the fact that they’ll almost assuredly get some competent play out of the quarterback position for the first time in the Bill O’Brien era.
Pick: Houston +9 Points
Week 4
Panthers at Patriots (-9)Analysis: Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers won’t get the outright road upset in this Week 4 affair, but I do like the NFC South Super Bowl hopefuls to cover the spread because of what I expect to be an improved defense in 2017 – and the addition of gifted triple-threat star Christian McCaffery.
Pick: Carolina +9 Points
Week 7
Falcons at Patriots (-6.5)Analysis: The Falcons blew their chance to win the first Super Bowl in franchise history and now they’ll get another crash course on just how to beat Brady and company, but I don’t see it happening with the Pats playing at home and already having figured out the Falcons.
Pick: New England -6.5 Points
Week 10
Patriots (-3) at BroncosAnalysis: This Super Bowl 50 rematch looks like it could be a thriller – if Denver can improve an offensive attack that ranked an uninspiring 22nd (20.8 ppg) in scoring a year ago. Personally, I don’t see it happening for the Broncos, even though I admit they are tough to beat in the Mile High City.
Pick: New England -3 Points
Week 11
Patriots (-1.5) at Raiders in Mexico CityAnalysis: The Oakland Raiders are one of the most explosive teams in the league and could be even better in 2017 after adding veteran running back Marshawn Lynch. The Raiders went 12-4 in their breakout campaign last season and have plenty of offense, but they also ranked in the bottom third in every meaningful defensive statistical category while finishing 26th in total defense. The Patriots get the huge win in Viva La Mexico!
Pick: New England -1.5 Points
