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Patriots Listed as Heavy 5.5-Point Favorites vs Titans in Opening Wild Card Spreads

Robert Duff

by Robert Duff in NFL Football

Updated Mar 27, 2020 · 11:09 AM PDT

New England Patriots waiting to take the field
The defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots are 5.5-point favorites over the Tennessee Titans in their AFC Wild Card playoff game. Photo by SAB0TEUR (Wikimedia)
  • Odds opened with the New England Patriots as 5.5-point favorites over the Tennessee Titans in their AFC Wild Card game
  • The Patriots are 2-0 against the Titans in the postseason
  • Tennessee has never won a game at Gillette Stadium

The Tennessee Titans come to New England off a huge win to qualify for the NFL postseason but it’s the Patriots who are favored to win Saturday’s 8:15 pm AFC Wild Card game between the two teams.

To clinch a playoff spot, Tennessee won 35-14 on Sunday at Houston, the same place where New England was beaten 28-22 in Week 13. Meanwhile, the Patriots closed out by dropping a 27-24 home tilt to the Miami Dolphins.

Regardless, books still see the defending Super Bowl champion Pats rolling through this game without much of a problem. They list the Patriots as the 5.5-point chalk in the opening line on this game.

Tennessee Titans vs New England Patriots AFC Wild Card Odds

Team Moneyline Spread Total
Tennessee Titans +185 +5.5 (-110) Over 41.5 (-114)
New England Patriots -215 -5.5 (-110) Under 41.5 (-105)

Odds taken Dec. 29th

New England is 8-1 straight up in its last nine postseason games. The Pats haven’t lost a home playoff game since 2010.

Worrying Time for Patriots?

As New England begins its quest to join the Buffalo Bills as the only teams to play in four successive Super Bowls, is there cause for concern with the Patriots?

Taking the field Sunday with a chance to clinch a bye via a victory, the Pats fell at home to the 5-11 Dolphins, just the second time New England QB Tom Brady lost a game to Miami at Gillette Stadium.

In that game, Patriots cornerback Stephen Gilmore was lit up for more than 100 yards by Dolphins receiver DeVante Parker. It’s the first time that’s happened to Gilmore all season long.

It’s also the first game Miami won at New England since 2008. The Dolphins were 17-point underdogs when they took the field.

The loss means the Patriots must play in the Wild Card round for the first time since 2009. New England has never played in the Wild Card round and gone on to win the Super Bowl.

Unhappy Memories for Titans

In 2017, the last time Tennessee reached the playoffs, the Titans upset the Kansas City Chiefs on the road in the Wild Card round to earn a trip to New England. They were throttled 35-14 by the Pats in the Divisional Round.

Tennessee is 0-2 against the Patriots in the postseason. Since relocating from Houston to Tennessee, the franchise is 0-6 at New England. That includes an 0-2 record in the postseason.

Their last win there was in 1993 as the Houston Oilers. The Oilers also posted a 31-14 playoff win at New England in 1978.

But the Titans also hadn’t won at Houston since 2012 but beat the Texans there when they needed to on Sunday.

Where Will the Line Go?

The Patriots don’t look like the well-oiled machine that always seems to play its best football in the playoffs. Instead, they look susceptible. The last time New England played in the Wild Card game, the Pats were drubbed 33-14 by the visiting Baltimore Ravens.

Titans coach Mike Vrabel is a former Patriots linebacker. Tennessee QB Ryan Tannehill was a Dolphin until this season. They’re both familiar with the ins and outs of the Pats’ system.

A run game built around NFL rushing leader Derrick Henry, who ran for 1,540 yards and 16 TDs, is capable of controlling time of possession and keeping the ball out of Brady’s hands.

Expect a lot of money to be bet on Tennessee this week. Look for the line to move in the direction of the Titans.


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