There is so much parity that it is hard to pencil too many teams into the NFL playoffs before the year begins, but that doesn’t really apply to the New England Patriots. Despite the retirement of star tight end Rob Gronkowski, the Patriots look poised to once again compete for another Super Bowl in 2019. New England hasn’t missed the playoffs since 2008 and unsurprisingly, the current NFL odds have made them heavy favorites to return to the postseason this year. Quarterback Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick have shown no signs of slowing down and are primed for another campaign of great success.
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Patriots odds to make the playoffs
Yes -800
No +600
Patriots Playoff Odds Analysis
New England doesn’t really need the help of playing in an easy division, but it is getting that favor anyway. The New York Jets, Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills all could be rolling out second-year quarterbacks this season, and while all of them have potential, the teams may not be great offensively in 2019, which is not a good thing against the powerful Patriots. New England’s non-divisional slate is tougher and will feature games against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins, New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals.
The Patriots are heavy favorites to claim the AFC East yet again. If for some reason another team steps up and steals it, they would still be able to get into the playoffs through the two wild card berths. At this point, barring an injury to Brady, New England is widely expected to win the division, and that confidence is reflected in the odds.
New England Patriots Odds
Brady will be 42 years old this season but is not showing any signs of faltering. He threw for 4,355 yards with 29 touchdowns and 11 interceptions a season ago. Brady will have Julian Edelman back as a reliable slot receiver target, while talented outside receiver Josh Gordon was recently reinstated to the NFL. Gordon is an immense talent but has dealt with a litany of off-field issues, so he must prove he can stay on the field. When available, he completely opens up the offense. The Patriots also drafted N’Keal Harry in the first round of the draft to be another outside weapon. The offensive line lost Trent Brown in free agency but the group is still expected to be solid. Sony Michel, James White and Rex Burkhead gives New England a lot of versatility at running back.
The New England defense was the reason the team won the Super Bowl a year ago and will aim to build on that success in 2019. Trey Flowers left in free agency but there is still plenty of talent. Donta Hightower, Jamie Collins and Kyle Van Noy make up a solid linebacker corps, while Stephon Gilmore, the McCourty brothers and Patrick Chung lead the secondary. The Patriots traded for Michael Bennett and drafted Chase Winovich to help shore up their defensive line. New England doesn’t have a bunch of superstars on defense but it is a deep group that has proven effective.
Key Stats or Trends
The Patriots haven’t missed the postseason in a decade, and even in that season, they finished the year 11-5. New England is the most consistently great team in the NFL and there is little reason to believe that will change in 2019. An injury to Brady could obviously complicate matters, but provided he stays healthy, it is hard to imagine this team falling short of the playoffs.
While there are some tough games on the schedule, there are also several matchups that look like easy wins. Look for the Patriots to get off to a hot start and cruise to the postseason.
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