It isn’t often that the New England Patriots lose two straight games, but when they do, they have developed an interesting trend that bettors probably want to know about. Thanks to the team’s excellent coaching, led by Bill Belichick, and a host of other factors, the Patriots are a team that bettors definitely want to make sure to include on their cards after losing two straight contests.
Including their week four game of the 2018 season against the Miami Dolphins and looking backward, the Patriots have played in a game following back-to-back straight up losses nine times. In those nine times, the team has gone 8-1 against the spread, as they have usually hammered their opponents in a spot that could have been make or break for their season on a number of occasions.
It is interesting to consider why the Patriots are so good historically after losing two straight games during the Belichick and Tom Brady era. The most obvious answer is that the coaching staff of the Patriots is so much better than the coaching in the rest of the league that the team is usually able to rebound and get focused no matter what adversity is surrounding them.
Lending credence to that theory is the fact that the Patriots seem to do a better job of blocking out the pressure that is applied to them externally by the media and other factors. This starts with the team’s lack of desire to feed into the machine by not being very quotable at their press conferences or interviews, instead often choosing to talk about how they are focused on the next game or the next task at hand. And given their track record after losing two straight contests, it is clear that this is anything but idle chatter.
The coaching staff of the Patriots is also better at designing game plans than most staffs in the NFL. They are especially good at looking at things that didn’t work the week before, and tweaking them to make sure that they work for their personnel in the future. When the Patriots suffer a loss, be sure to look at which plays didn’t go particularly well for them, as they usually come back with an improved version of them the next week.
Then there is the talent on the field, especially quarterback Tom Brady. The Patriots are in a position where they know that even when their defense is falling apart, or that their roster isn’t as strong as usual, they can rely on a relatively consistent performance from Brady. Even if he isn’t slinging multiple touchdowns around the field in each game, he doesn’t make too many mistakes, and gives you a chance to win every week. And given how solid he is, the likelihood of him playing poorly for three straight games is just slim.
New England has been a juggernaut after losing two straight games, which is something that bettors should be aware of the next time they face a similar situation.
Jay is a sports writer who has been featured on Deadspin, BetAdvisor. In addition to penning wager previews and features, Jay has broadcasted for MAAC school as well as ESPN Radio’s Northeastern Affiliates.
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