Brady living even larger
It seemed as if Tom Brady had it all. He was dating actresses and supermodels and winning Super Bowls with ease. The New England Patriots quarterback had a great life on and off the field.
And now it’s even better. The NFL’s most eligible bachelor picked up the perfect wingman in the offseason when the Patriots traded for wide receiver Randy Moss.
Brady and Moss are capable of stretching the league’s best defenses until they snap. The Cincinnati Bengals, with the league’s fourth-worst defense, are about to step into the trap.
It’s usually tempting to back a home underdog on Monday night, but the Patriots have become the exception to most handicapping rules. Laying points with this team is not as risky.
New England was favored by a total of 281/2 points in its first three games and won by a combined 79 points.
After scoring 38 points in each game, the Patriots could surpass that total while making quick work of the Bengals, who have countless defensive deficiencies and are facing the worst possible opponent.
Cincinnati, a 7-point underdog, is 1-6 in its past seven games as a home ‘dog. New England is 24-8-1 against the spread on the road.
The most glaring weakness for the Bengals is a defense that is surrendering an average of 402.7 yards per game. Brady, who finally has big-time wideouts to spread the field, has to love this matchup.
Brady is on pace for one of the top seasons in history by a quarterback, completing 79.5 percent of his passes for 887 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Moss, still sprinting with healthy hamstrings, has 22 receptions for 403 yards and five touchdowns.
The Bengals counter with their own dynamic duo in Carson Palmer and Chad Johnson, but they must deal with a Patriots defense that ranks No. 1 in the league.
New England went on the road and routed Cincinnati 38-13 last season, and while this game might be more competitive, lay the points with the Patriots until they show signs of slowing.
Four more prayers for Week 4 (home team in CAPS):
• DOLPHINS (-31/2) over Raiders — It’s desperation time for the 0-3 Dolphins and rookie coach Cam Cameron. Veteran quarterback Trent Green is getting more comfortable, and Ronnie Brown finally got involved in Miami’s offense last week by rushing for 112 yards. Oakland is hoping Daunte Culpepper takes out some frustrations on his former team, but Culpepper has not performed at a high level for a long time.
• BROWNS (+41/2) over Ravens — Cleveland is playing with confidence since torching the Bengals for 51 points. Young quarterback Derek Anderson is showing he has skills, and he’s also getting help from running back Jamal Lewis and wideout Braylon Edwards. Baltimore’s offense still is mediocre, and quarterback Steve McNair still is on the injury report. The Ravens, who have dropped four straight as road favorites, are not as intimidating on defense as in the past.
• Packers (-2) over VIKINGS — Overlooked in Green Bay’s hot start is a vastly improved defense. The Packers have won seven straight games, and betting against a team on that kind of roll is tough. Brett Favre, who is playing smarter now that he’s not always playing from behind, has overcome his Metrodome jinx in recent years.
• CHARGERS (-111/2) over Chiefs — San Diego’s poor start is not as bad as it seems. The Chargers lost to two undefeated teams, Green Bay and New England, on the road. Now it gets a lot easier, and no team in the league is hungrier this week than the Chargers. They will emphasize LaDainian Tomlinson’s running and get more aggressive on defense. Kansas City is weak on the offensive line and at quarterback, and that resulted in Larry Johnson’s 24-carry, 42-yard effort — or lack of it — last week.
Last week: 1-2-2 against the spread
Season: 5-7-3
Review-Journal sportswriter Matt Youmans can be reached at 387-2907 or myoumans@reviewjournal.com.
