Week 1 Matchup Preview: New England Patriots at Cincinnati Bengals
Date: September 8, 2024, 1:00 PM ET
Location: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
BetMGM Odds: Bengals -450, Bengals -9, O/U 42.5
As the NFL season begins, the New England Patriots head to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals in a Week 1 showdown at Paycor Stadium. The Bengals, fresh off a strong 2023 campaign, enter the game as heavy favorites, with BetMGM setting the odds at Bengals -450 and a spread of -9. Meanwhile, the Patriots, under the guidance of their new-look offense, aim to pull off an early-season upset. The over/under is set at 42.5, indicating expectations for a lower-scoring contest. In this article, we’ll break down the best bets, odds, and predictions for this opening weekend matchup.
My Best Bet: Under 42.5
I’m going to take a wait-and-see approach with this new-look Patriots offense under Jacoby Brissett and would much rather target Joe Burrow and the Bengals at home. This is an emotional game for Burrow, who is returning from a devastating injury that knocked him out last year. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are among the top WR duos in the entire NFL and I’m very high on the tandem of Zack Moss and Chase Brown at running back as well, but there are some question marks about who else will step up on the pass-catching side of things for the Bengals if the Pats elect to take away one of the two stars (particularly Chase). I think this Bengals defense is very underrated, as is New England’s.
I expect the Patriots to try to play ground and pound with a heavy workload for Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson which is why I would advise against backing Cincinnati -9 despite the fact that Cincinnati has gone a perfect 6-0 ATS against AFC East opponents over the last three seasons. Instead, I’ll take the under.
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