Patriots Odds: Six Prop Bets To Consider Before ‘Monday Night Football’
It feels like a spot the Patriots can expose the Bears
The New England Patriots return to primetime for a Week 7 clash against the Chicago Bears on "Monday Night Football" at Gillette Stadium.
The 3-3 Patriots are coming off consecutive wins while the 2-4 Bears have lost four of their last five contests and have looked like one of the league's worst teams in doing so.
The biggest question ahead of Monday's clash relates to New England's quarterback situation and whether it will be Mac Jones returning from a high ankle sprain or rookie Bailey Zappe taking the field for a third consecutive start after winning each of the last two. Reports surfaced Sunday that Jones was expected to start, though some pumped the brakes on that notion Monday.
New England is an eight-point home favorite entering the clash, according to consensus data on the NESNBets.com live odds page, with the total set at over/under 40 points.
There are plenty of other ways to find value, though, with an extensive list of prop bets available at DraftKings Sportsbook. We've highlighted six specific prop bets we like ahead of Patriots-Bears with prices courtesy of DraftKings.
Patriots to win both halves +130
No matter who is starting at quarterback for New England, this feels like an opportunity for the Patriots to assert themselves in the first half and run it up in the second. It would completely halt any momentum from the previous two weeks should New England lay an egg in primetime, especially given how poor the Bears are at stopping the run, which should be the Pats' main focus. And given Chicago's inability to move the ball through the air, we can't foresee any garbage-time passing touchdowns from Justin Fields to receiver N'Keal Harry, which obviously could go a long way in ruining this bet.
Chicago Bears +2.5 first quarter spread +100
Even if New England leads at half, the Patriots' inability to get off to fast starts has impacted them again this season as New England ranks 27th in first-quarter points. The Pats have not scored a touchdown in the first quarter this season. On the campaign, Bill Belichick and company average just two points in the first quarter and three points in the first quarter during their last three contests. For what it's worth, the Bears more than double this at 4.6 first-quarter points this season. With the likelihood of Jones returning behind center, it's fair to think the Patriots could get off to a slow start, despite how bad the Bears are on the ground. It's a tricky market to navigate given the team that receives the first-half kick has an advantage, but nevertheless enticing based on recent history.
Justin Fields Under 0.5 passing touchdowns +115
Fields and the Bears throw the ball as little as any team in the NFL while averaging fewer than 20 passing attempts per game. The 2021 first-round pick has failed to throw a touchdown in half of Chicago's games this season, finding the end zone through the air four times in six games, which ranks last in the league. Meanwhile, the Patriots have been able to crack down against mediocre offenses recently, allowing one passing touchdown in their last two games against the Lions and Browns. While it's fair to think Belichick's defense will sell out to stop the run, Chicago's lackluster production through the air makes this enticing.
Matthew Judon Over 0.75 sacks +100
The dual-threat Fields makes it tough on opponents to bring him down, but Chicago still has allowed 23 sacks through six games this season, nearly four per game. Judon has recorded at least one sack in five of six games this season, providing a clear force in the pass rush alongside teammate Deatrich Wise and others. The Bears reportedly are set to make more changes to their offensive line, and Judon's skillset certainly could help him eclipse this very attainable number.
Patriots team total points Over 24.5 +100
We can't help but think the Patriots run all over the Bears in this contest. The Patriots have eclipsed this number three times in the past four games, including a 38-point outing last week, which tells more of the story than their season average, which falls below 24.5.
Khalil Herbert Over 38.5 total yards -110
There are a handful of enticing options on the rushing and receiving total yards prop, Herbert's relative lack of juice makes him the pick. Herbert, who has seen lopsided snaps from when fellow running back David Montgomery is active and when he's not, still has eclipsed 38.5 yards in five of six games this season. And two of three of those five times Herbert received less than a third of the snaps behind Montgomery, who should be active Monday. The Bears running back has big-play ability, though he's done the majority of his work on the ground.
