The New England Patriots lost to the Miami Dolphins in Week 17 of the 2000 season to finish 4-12. That was the last time they played a second-half game — i.e., the ninth game or later in the regular season — with a winning percentage of .300 worse.
That streak — by far the longest among all NFL teams — will end on Sunday when the 2-6 (.250) Patriots host the Washington Commanders.
Historically, it’s a bad spot for favorites in NFL betting, especially in recent years.
Since 2015, favorites with a winning percentage of .300 or worse entering a second-half game are 27-41-4 (.397) against the spread (ATS).
A four-game ATS losing streak to end the 2022-23 season dropped their ROI to -21.3%, meaning you’d be down more than $1,500 with a $100 wager on each of those 72 games.
Those teams are even worse when playing (almost) equally bad teams, as the Patriots are in Week 9. The Commanders are 3-5 (.375) after dropping five of their last six games.
Against opponents with a winning percentage below .400, those teams are 18-33-2 (.353) since 2015. Their ROI is -29.9%.
As of Tuesday’s NFL odds at BetMGM, the Patriots are a 3-point favorite. In failing to cover the spread against the Dolphins in Week 9, they dropped to 2-6 ATS, tied for the third-worst record in the league.
Visit the BetMGM online sportsbook for all Week 9 odds, the best sportsbook promos, and more.