Sports Betting Spotlight: New England Patriots 2017 season preview

By Todd Dewey Las Vegas Review-Journal

7 years ago

Aug 31, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) and quarterback Tom Brady (12) watch from the side line during the first quarter against the New York Giants at Gillette Stadium. (Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports)

Aug 10, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12), running back Rex Burkhead (34) and teammates warm up before the start of the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Gillette Stadium. (David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports)

Aug 10, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) hands off there ball to running back Dion Lewis (33) against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second quarter at Gillette Stadium. (David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports)

Aug 10, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots running back Dion Lewis (33) runs the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second quarter at Gillette Stadium. (David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports)

Aug 10, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; The New England Patriots take the field prior to a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Gillette Stadium. (Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports)

Aug 10, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Brandin Cooks (14) on the field prior to a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Gillette Stadium. (Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports)

Aug 19, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) goes in motion during the first half against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. (Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports)

Aug 19, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) runs a route during the first half against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. (Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports)

Aug 25, 2017; Detroit, MI, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) jogs to the sidelines after making a touchdown throw during the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. (Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports)

Aug 31, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) take the field before the game against the New York Giants at Gillette Stadium. (Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports)

The Review-Journal’s Todd Dewey, handicapper Kelly Stewart (@KellyInVegas) and CG Technology sports book vice-president Matthew Holt preview the Patriots’ season in the 28th of a series of 32 NFL team videos in 32 days.

New England went 14-2 last season and won the Super Bowl 34-28 over the Falcons after trailing 28-3 in the third quarter. The Patriots went an incredible 16-3 against the spread, which tied the 1989 San Francisco 49ers for the NFL’s best spread record ever.

New England, which is expected to be favored in every game this season, lost wideout Julian Edelman for the season with a torn ACL but still has plenty of weapons in quarterback Tom Brady, tight end Rob Gronkowski, receivers Chris Hogan, Brandin Cooks and Danny Amendola and running backs James White, Dion Lewis and Mike Gillislie. Not to mention last season’s top scoring defense (15.6 ppg) and coach Bill Belichick.