New England Patriots Underdogs in NFL Playoff Betting

If you are having trouble finding the last time oddsmakers made the New England Patriots underdogs as you try to handicap them this week at Kansas City, join the club.

The Patriots opened as 3.5-point road underdogs, which breaks a streak of 54 consecutive games that New England was an NFL betting favorite. So finding underdog gambling trends for the AFC championship game will require a dig into the history books.

They were favored every game this season, no underdog handicapping to do there. Hmmm, they were favored every game last season too. Hmmm, they were favored in 18 straight game to end the 2016 season too. WTF?

Oh, there it is, Week 1 of the 2016 season, with Tom Brady serving the first of his four-game suspension over DeflateGate, the Patriots were 9.5-point underdogs at Arizona. Before that, they were favored in 16 straight games of 2015 too, way back to Week 2 when they were small 1-point dogs at Buffalo.

Including playoffs, that is 73 games over four seasons and the Patriots were underdogs just twice.

So, with that small sample size (they won both games SU, by the way and they did the same as Super Bowl underdogs vs Seattle as well at the end of 2014 season), they are 3-0 SU as underdogs since the end of the 2014 season. Go back a little further into 2014 and they are 7-1 SU in their only 8 games as underdogs.

[ Where can I bet conference championship games? BetOnline.ag’s betting odds ]

Will Patriots or Chiefs Cover the Spread?

NFL betting trends are useful or bogus? You decide how a team that never loses as an underdog will fare against a Kansas City Chiefs team that almost never wins as a playoff favorite. They had been 0-6 ATS as home chalk since 1980 before winning last week against the Colts.

Interestingly, these teams have met seven times in recent years the home team is 6-1 SU. Kansas City is also 5-1 SU at home to the Patriots since 1980.

And while the Patriots own a terrific playoff underdog trend, their record as a playoff road team is quite un-Patriot-like. In five playoff road games since 2006, the Patriots have lost three straight and are 1-4 SU in their past five.

Will the Rams or Saints Cover the Spread?

NFC Conference Championship bettors won’t find much handicapping material on how the Los Angeles Rams perform as NFL underdogs either. The Rams were favored in every game this season as well, including their game at New Orleans on Nov. 4.

The Rams opened as 3.5-point road dogs at New Orleans over at BetOnline.ag.

The Saints failed to cover last week against the Eagles leaving them with a 2-9 ATS record as playoff chalk since 1980. However, as small home chalk of 1-3 points in the regular season, the Saints have covered four in a row.

Another interesting Rams vs Saints trend involves home field. The home team has won and covered past 6 meetings since 2010.

Rams vs Saints Betting Trends

OVER is 5-1 past 6 meetings at KC since 2000

First time Rams are underdogs all season

Saints covered past 4 games when small chalk of 3 or less

Saints 2-9 ATS as playoff chalk since 1980

Chiefs vs Patriots betting trends

New England Patriots underdogs for just second time in 73 games

Patriots 7-1 SU as underdog since 2014 season – OVER 6-1-1 in those games

Home team 6-1 SU past 7 meetings

Patriots 1-5 SU at KC since 1980, but 4-2 ATS

Patriots 0-3 and 1-4 SU in playoff road games since 2006

After cover vs Colts, Chiefs still just 2-7 ATS since 1980 as playoff chalk and 1-6 ATS as home chalk