Few would have believed it could happen when the 2019-2020 NFL season opened on September 5. And that included New Jersey’s vibrant and dynamic sports betting community.
Well it has. The Patriots, who, for the past decade, have bestrode US pro football like a Colossus, won’t be winning Super Bowl LIV.
In fact they won’t even make the 2020 Divisional finals. Not after shockingly crashing out in one of Saturday’s two Wild-Card Weekend matches.
The season’s Super Bowl favorites until just a month or so ago, they went down 20-13 to underdogs Tennessee Titans. And yes, this cruel defeat was suffered at their own home fortress of Gillette Stadium in Foxburough, Massachusetts.
Ahead of the game the New Jersey sports betting industry had the Patriots as their solid game favorites at money line odds of around -226. Against this, the underdog Titans were being quoted at +183. The under-over totals odds favored the Pats to win by five points in a 44.5 point total
Patriots were favorites for good reason
And why not? Yes, the Patriots did take the memories of their disastrous and unexpected loss to the Miami Dolphins into Saturday’s game. And yes, it was that match that put into Wild-Card weekend for the first time in memory.
But their record in the play-offs since head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady joined them in 2000 was outstanding. They had become the NFL’s most successful team in history, winning 16 AFC East championships and a record-matching six Super Bowl titles. Three of their Bowl tiles had come in the last four Super Bowl finals.
As the architect and creator-in-chief of the Patriots’ magnificent dynasty, Belichick and Brady had also entered the record books. The magnificent two could each claim to own the highest number of Super Bowl appearances (9) and titles (6 – shared with The Pittsburgh Steelers).
Brady, rated the greatest quarterback in NFL history, had also won a record number of MPV awards.
How the mighty have fallen! And it could be some time before they rise again. The grim fog that shrouded Gillette Stadium Saturday warned of a possibly cloudy future for New England, for Brady and for Belichick.
Brady now a free agent
For the first time in his long and illustrious career Brady is now a free agent. Though 42, he says he is not yet ready to retire. Belichick is 67 and says he wants to keep on coaching until he is 70. So, where to from here? After the Patriots crash-and-burn season’s end, do Brady and Belichick stay or do they go? Alone or together?
Some sportsbooks are already offering prop bets on Brady.
Here’s one of the latest:
- To stay with New England Patriots -210
- To move to Los Angeles Chargers +275; to Chicago Bears +1200; to Tennessee Titans +1500
- To Retire +210.
No matter how Saturdays Gillette Stadium disaster ends for Patriots, one thing is for certain. Their army of fans and NJ’s betting armada are going to have to endure some anxious moments in the coming weeks.
All the Wild-Card Weekend results
(Away teams mentioned first):
Saturday, January 4;
Buffalo Bills (10-6) lost to Houston Texans (10-6) 19-22
Tennessee Titans (9-7) beat New England Patriots (12-4) 20-13
Sunday, January 5
Seattle Seahawks (11-5) beat Philadelphia Eagles (9-7) 17-9
Minnesota Vikings (10-6) beat New Orleans Saints (13-3) 26-20
Byes:
Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs
The up-coming Divisional Round schedule
Saturday, January 11
Vikings (No 6) at San Francisco 49ers (No 1)
Titans (No 6) at Baltimore Ravens (No 1)
Sunday, January 12
Houston Texans (No 4) at Kansas City Chiefs (No 2))
Seahawks (No 5) at Green Bay Packers (No 2)