Fansided

NFL lines, Week 15 2019: 5 best bets

By Mike Phillips

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 08: Los Angeles Rams Running Back Todd Gurley II (30) runs for a first down during a game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams on December 08, 2019, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Michael Workman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 08: Los Angeles Rams Running Back Todd Gurley II (30) runs for a first down during a game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams on December 08, 2019, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Michael Workman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 08: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots talks to teammates in the huddle during the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium on December 08, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 08: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots talks to teammates in the huddle during the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium on December 08, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

3.  Patriots -9.5

In what seems like an annual tradition in the NFL, the vultures are circling around the New England Patriots. After starting the season 8-0, New England has dropped three of its last five games, falling to each of the AFC’s other division leaders.

There has been plenty that has gone wrong for the Patriots, including a pathetic offensive performance and a defense that has begun to come back to Earth after an otherworldly start. There is now an off the field distraction as well as the Patriots are caught up in another videotaping scandal, with a documentary crew commissioned by New England filming Cincinnati’s sideline last week.

The Patriots have denied knowingly breaking any rules, and it remains to be seen if there will be any punishment from the league as a result, but this recent confluence of events sets up a perfect storm for Bill Belichick, who loves to create an us-versus-them mentality in his locker room.

New England now gets a shot to right the ship against the one-win Bengals, who have been generally competitive of late but are still well on their way to the top pick in the draft. Perhaps in light of the Patriots’ recent struggles moving the football, oddsmakers have made New England only 9.5 point favorites.

That number seems very low considering the difference in quality of the two football teams, and this matchup seems ripe for New England to right the ship and make a statement by blowing the Bengals out of the water. Lay the points with confidence with Tom Brady and friends as the Pats move one step closer to another AFC East title.