Patriots betting odds are trending upward as the team closes in on a second-round bye in the AFC by locking up the second seed. Having lost to the other three division leaders in the conference might detract from the Patriots chances at their fourth Super Bowl title in six seasons, but you can never rule Tom Brady and Bill Belichick out.
How would the Patriots stack up against the AFC competition? Let’s rank the potential opponents.
5. Bills: The Patriots should’ve beaten the Bills more handily if not for a handful of game-changing plays. Having seen Buffalo already twice this season the Pats would have a good understanding and familiarity how to beat them. Josh Allen would have to play the game of his life.
4. Titans: Mike Vrabel’s team beat the Pats last year and any team with a big powerful back like Derek Henry could be a threat to take the vaunted Patriots defense off their game. They’ve been able to play solid football with Ryan Tannehill at quarterback, but losers of two straight, they need to turn things around or risk falling out of the playoffs in the final weekend.
3. Houston: The Texans finally knocked off the Pats this season but the Patriots would still be favorites if hosting a rematch, this time at Gillette Stadium. The Texans have the weaponry to attack the Patriots and the defense to give them problems but New England would give them a better game the second time around, especially if Will Fuller is out.
2. Kansas City: The Patriots also lost to the Chiefs but held their vaunted offense to just a field goal in the second half, giving them hope that they could lock in on what Patrick Mahomes does so well. New England has won the last two playoff matchups against Kansas City and would host them this year instead of having travel on the road like 2018. It would be a tough game that went down to the wire but the Pats have had the Chiefs number in the meaningful games.
1 Baltimore: The Ravens throttled the Patriots once already this season just as they have done to most of the league. Could the Patriots find a way to do what no one has done this year and slow down Lamar Jackson? If anyone can put the gameplan together to do it, it would be Bill Belichick. Forcing Jackson into mistakes would be the key.