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The New England Patriots have had a seemingly long fall from grace. The former dynasty was torn apart in 2020 with the departure of QB Tom Brady. This left the Patriots in a rough position through the season. Having no real solution at quarterback and the system put in place for decades crumbled. They finished the season with an overall record of 7-9, and many fans were disappointed. The best news is, like any storm, this will pass, and the Patriots can get back to winning. They have an incredible front office with arguably the best head coach in NFL history.
This season, we should be seeing an all-new Patriots team but still with much to learn. Some faces might be familiar, but others brand new. Now we have to ask ourselves if this Patriots team, in 2021, could return to its prior form. Or will it take some years of development before we see New England return to its former strength. If you were to ask Head Coach Bill Belichick, the team better have a strong 2021. As for us, we’ve got some different ideas on how you should bet the Patriots this season.
2021 New England Patriots Futures Betting Odds
New England Patriots Super Bowl Champion Odds: +6000
New England Patriots Conference Champion Odds: +1600
New England Patriots Win Totals Odds: Over 9.5 (+100) / Under 9.5 (-130)
New England Patriots AFC East Champion Odds: +350
What was once a lock for the New England Patriots is now mostly a question. In previous years, the New England Patriots were a shoo-in for all the odds mentioned. However, the loss of Tom Brady changed the trajectory of the team for years to come. Now, they’re considered the third-best team in the AFC East. A division that held them as champions for years has been overtaken by the Buffalo Bills. Even the Miami Dolphins have better odds to win the division than the New England Patriots. This has been a shot to morale for the Patriots as they fell to third place in the division.
This isn’t to say they can’t rise up from this, and the only question is how long it will take. In a division full of offensive talent, can the Patriots separate themselves, or will the dynasty be left behind? At this point, it’s more about trust in the process than anything else. Also, which quarterback can perform the tasks needed, as it stands, Cam Newton seems to be getting the nod at starter. He has to remember, though, that Mac Jones, the rookie is right behind him waiting for a chance.
2021 New England Patriots Offseason Grade: B-
Key Additions: (QB, Mac Jones), (TE, Hunter Henry), (RB, Rex Burkhead), (OT, Trent Brown)
Key Departures: (S, Patrick Chung), (WR, Devin Smith)
The New England Patriots didn’t lose very many people in the offseason. This is great news for a team that desperately needed to keep its core group. The biggest loss is safety Patrick Chung who wasn’t just a great safety but a great voice in the locker room. His departure will be critical to the New England defense, who was actually fairly good in 2020. They only allowed an average of 180.6 yards passing last season, nearly the best in the NFL. This season, without Chung, they’ll have to find a way to repeat that success in the secondary.
In terms of what they’ve gained this season, the Patriots are in great shape. They signed perhaps the biggest name in offensive linemen, in Trent Brown. They also snagged two great tight ends in Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith. Now, with these additions comes some more stability. Cam Newton was under duress a lot last season, and additions on the offensive line will help. Two big tight ends give him better targets to throw to, considering they don’t have a great receiving corps.
New England Patriots 2021 Preview
The New England Patriots head into 2021 looking much better than they did in 2020. We can definitely expect much more from them this year. The only question surrounding the Patriots now is whether Cam Newton can fit into this system. New England has a set way of doing things, and sometimes improvisation isn’t what they’re looking for. This is where a quarterback like Cam Newton could become an issue. He’s not good with set systems, and we saw that last season. We expect at some point in the year. He’ll be replaced by Mac Jones, who’s already making waves in camp.
New England Patriots Futures Best Bets
This is a team that’s slowly back on the climb to success. We shouldn’t expect a Super Bowl title from them this season. Instead, we should focus on their win total, currently set at 9.5. Take the under here, as they would need 10 wins to cover the over. It’s much more likely that with the learning curve facing the team, they end up with around 8 wins this season.
Check out our Ravens team preview and Browns team preview. We have team previews for every single NFL team.
