The New England Patriots have had a hard enough time moving the football without getting a lot of help from mistakes by the opponent. On Monday night they will face-off against a team that did a pretty good job of keeping the ball out of enemy hands last season, and may be making some strides in that direction again, as they visit Arrowhead Stadium for a date with the Kansas City Chiefs, in NFL betting action that is scheduled to begin at 8:30 PM ET, televised live on ESPN.
New England looked like it was starting the season out with a bang, as it got off to a ten-point lead at the half against the Miami Dolphins. But they folded in the second half and went scoreless. And if not for the generosity of Minnesota quarterback Matt Cassel, who threw four interceptions against his former team, they would not have glided to an easy 30-7 victory. Last week the offense was dreadful in comparison to recent Patriot editions, as they gained only 297 yards against the Oakland Raiders, feeling rather fortunate to come away with the 16-9 triumph.
Kansas City, which was second in the NFL last year in turnover differential, wish it could take back a few plays from the opener against Tennessee, as the Chiefs lost 26-10 with quarterback Alex Smith throwing three interceptions. They gave it a nice effort the next week against Denver, against a Broncos team that was probably looking ahead to their rematch against the Seattle Seahawks, but still, Kansas City came up short 24-17.
Last week, however, the Chiefs banged around the Dolphins on the way to a 34-15 win. Knile Davis, subbing for the injured Jamaal Charles, gained 132 yards on the ground, although it was a bit distressing as he fumbled the ball twice.
In the NFL betting odds that have been established on this game by the people at BetAnySports, the Patriots are favored on the road:
NFL betting odds courtesy of BetAnySports U.S. Sportsbook
New England Patriots -2.5 (-120)
Kansas City Chiefs +2.5 (+100)
Over 46.5 Points -110
Under 46.5 Points -110
Judging from what we have seen from the Patriots in the past, one would expect that sooner or later, they’re going to play better than what they have shown. But the fact is, they are doing things that would normally hurt them. This team has committed 30 penalties, for a total of 330 yards. And for some reason, the ground game has never really gotten going. Stevan Ridley, who is the every-down back, is averaging only 3.4 yards per carry, and speedy Shane Vereen simply has to be used more. Yes, BetAnySports patrons know that Tom Brady is happy that Rob Gronkowski is gradually finding his way into the offense. But aside from Julian Edelman, no one is supplying a viable threat at the wide receiver spot. Brady is averaging just 5.5 yards per passing attempt, and that is pedestrian at best.
Charles is probable tonight, and along with Davis, that should make the Kansas City rushing game formidable. But they will also have their work cut out for them, as New England has excelled on the defensive side, allowing just 4.4 yards per play on the part of the opposition. They are also yielding 82 fewer yards per game than Kansas City. Of course, coach Bill Belichick’s background is in scheming defensively, so it is no surprise that with New England being healthier on that unit this season, we have seen improvement. Cornerback Darrelle Revis, who was acquired in the off-season, has the ability to shut down the opponent’s best wide receiver, and in this case that would probably be Dwayne Bowe. That would make Smith have to look for alternatives, and as NFL bettors have become aware, he doesn’t stretch the field all that well with his arm.
Let’s talk about some trends that might be of interest to BetAnySports customers. Interestingly enough, in the last nine games the Chiefs have been involved with, the road team has covered against the football betting pointspread. At the same time, New England has dropped five of its last six when laying points on the road. Things have tended toward the “under” when it comes to Kansas City’s games at Arrowhead, as eleven of the last 15 have failed to exceed the total.
If you open up an account at BetAnySports right now, you will get to wager on this game not only before kicks off, but as it is happening, through the magic of Live Betting Extra. Give it a shot! Top