The team that can never cover as a favorite takes on one of the Super Bowl favorites. Luckily for team one, they are on the road and nine point underdogs this week. That team is the Cincinnati Bengals, and they go to Massachusetts to take on Tom Brady in his second game of the season. The New England Patriots are coming off a blowout victory over the dumpster fire that is the Cleveland Browns in week five, where the Bengals suffered their third loss to the Dallas Cowboys, in Dallas.
The Bengals are one of those teams that are always intriguing. They have some talented players, but thanks to their ultra conservative coaching staff, they never can seem to cover as favorites. But they do not have to worry about that this week. Going into New England, I was highly intrigued by the nine points they are getting. But there is something about this team that I just do not like. They have done nothing to impress me this season, as their two wins have come against the Jets and the Dolphins. Week one they just barely squeaked past a poor Jets team. Then week four they handled the Dolphins with ease, but they were home and the Dolphins look like one of the five worst teams in the NFL.
Then on the flip side we have the golden boy Tom Brady. The Patriots have been one of the best teams in football this year. Brady’s return against the Browns ended just as many expected: a big time New England win. So now they return home, where they are expected to win big. So why is there a part of me that feels they will struggle a bit here? I do not know why exactly, but I think Brady shows a little rust against a team that is not Cleveland.
I know I will regret this one, as I did last week, but I am picking against the Pats once again. I will probably finally learn my lesson, but nine points is simply a lot to lay against the Bengals. Sure the Bengals have not shown themselves to be anything special, but I do know they have some talent.
For all week five NFL Spreads and Over/Under’s, check out our NFL week 5 Betting Odds master-sheet here.
Line: Patriots -9, O/U: 47
Pick: Bengals and the under
Result: NE 35 – Cin 17, Patriots and the over