Venue/Stadium: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
This was definitely a game that Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback Matt Cassel had circled on his calendar when the NFL regular season schedule was released. That will only make it tougher for him to watch as his current team looks to get back on track against his former team with a trip to Foxborough to face the New England Patriots.
Time/Date: 8:30 PM ET – Monday November 21, 2011
NFL Odds from Bodog
Money Line: Patriots -1000
Spread (ATS): Patriots -14.5
Over/Under: 46.5
The Chiefs have lost consecutive games to seemingly inferior opponents in the then-winless Miami Dolphins and the suddenly surging Denver Broncos, and after averaging less than a touchdown in both defeats will have to survive a road date against one of the top AFC contenders with Tyler Palko as their starting quarterback.
The injury is yet another twist in what has been a season marred by inconsistency for the Chiefs, who followed up three straight losses with four straight wins, only to drop their last two and find themselves back in the AFC West basement. Neither the offense nor the defense has been good in the previous two defeats, and now Palko will be relied on to spark the offense after completing just nine passes in his first two NFL seasons.
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The outlook in New England is much more positive heading in to this week, although the previous three weeks haven’t been kind to the Patriots. While Tom Brady and company came alive in a 37-16 win over the division rival New York Jets on Sunday Night Football, they won’t be taking anything for granted after struggling through losses to both the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants. The biggest difference in their win at New York was their ability to force three turnovers while protecting the football themselves, and they will need to parlay that momentum heading in to this weekend. Brady threw for 329 yards and three touchdowns while avoiding the interceptions that had really hurt the team the previous couple of weeks, and a mirror performance should be more than enough for New England could get the job done.
Now is the time for the Patriots if they are going to make a legitimate run at both the division and home field advantage in the postseason, and with three of their next four on the road, look for Brady and company to provide the hometown fans with a show against the injury-riddled Chiefs.
NFL Betting Pick: Patriots
