Bengals Patriots Betting – Brady Tries To Outclass Cincinnati’s Defense
A classic confrontation is set up for week one of the 2010 NFL regular season. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots’ offense will lock horns with a Cincinnati Bengal defense that’s strong in the secondary. Strength against strength is always an attractive matchup, giving the fans at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, a very compelling opening-day experience.
NFL Betting: Cincinnati Bengals @ New England Patriots
Why To Bet On The Bengals
The Bengals were one of the better defensive teams in the NFL last season. Coordinator Mike Zimmer – who lost his wife during the season and drew an impassioned response from his players – presided over a defense that ranked in the top seven in the league in both rushing and passing yards allowed. Cincy’s defenders conceded just a handful of yards more than 200 per game and allowed fewer than 100 rushing yards per contest. This is a stout defense that is consistent and reliable. The Bengals picked off 16 passes – an average of one per game – in 2009, with cornerbacks Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph taking away their halves of the field on deep balls. The Bengals have the capability of limiting Tom Brady and turning this game into a defensive slugfest.
Why To Bet On The Patriots
While Cincinnati boasts a great defense, the Bengals’ offense is decidedly mediocre. Cincinnati’s passing game failed to click last year, and that’s why the organization felt the need to bring Terrell Owens into the fold as an additional pass catcher. The Bengals’ deficiencies on offense – which were exposed in two straight losses to the New York Jets (one of them at home in the 2009 AFC Wild Card Game) – also forced the team to select a downfield tight end, Jermaine Gresham, in the first round of the NFL draft. Cincinnati is not ready to get into a shootout on Sept. 12, and New England is one of the teams in the NFL that can thrive in such a situation.
Want proof that Mr. Brady is ready to rock and roll this season? In his final big preseason game – when he received extended playing time – the three-time Super Bowl champion merely hit 18-of-22 passes for 273 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. The virtually flawless performance – even though it came in the exhibition season – marked the confirmation of Brady’s first-rate form. No quarterback in the AFC had a better preseason. (Aaron Rodgers of Green Bay had the best preseason of any NFC quarterback.) Moreover, New England can beat Cincinnati without testing the Bengals’ high-level secondary. The Patriots are known for using the short passing game and underneath crossing routes to expose linebackers. New England can find ways of outflanking the Bengals throughout this game.
How The Game Will Play Out
This is a situation in which the Patriots are getting the Bengals at the right time. If this game appeared in week eight of the 2010 schedule, the Bengals might have more cohesion in their receiving corps. In week one, though, it will take time for Carson Palmer to establish a good rapport with Terrell Owens. The Bengals should be sluggish on offense, while New England and Tom Brady will be far more fluid and polished. Take New England on opening day, even though Cincinnati is likely to have a better record by the end of the regular season. Home field also helps the Pats in a big way in this contest.Bengals Patriots Betting Pick: Patriots
