New England Patriots 9 Point Favorites Over Winless Tennessee Titans

NFL News - October 13th, 2009 - Written by John

When the 2009 NFL schedule was first released, there were obvious duds that stood out, but fans took notice of several key games to look forward to. Like the Week Six match-up between the New England Patriots and the Tennessee Titans. Both looked strong after winning a combined 23 games last year and the match-up was circled from day-one.

Hopefully it wasn't circled in Sharpie.

After a miserable start to the season, Tennessee is among the four winless teams in the NFL, losing to the likes of Jacksonville and Houston. The result is New England being one of the biggest favorites on the day with a 9 edge over the Titans. Taking the upset straight-up is one of the most rewarding picks on the slate with a moneyline return of +350.

Odds found at DSI Sportsbook. Check out the Weekly NFL Betting Trends for more on this game.

Experts couldn't predict this kind of slide by the defending AFC South Champions. They have looked ordinary all year with Kerry Collins taking snaps and have been outscored 139-84 this season. He is the 29th rated passer in the league and cards two more interceptions than touchdowns.

Wideout Nate Washington leads the team in touchdown catches (3) has quietly become a viable Fantasy option, catching a score in three of the last four games. But the star of the season has been running back Chris Johnson, who leads the team with 468 rushing yards, averaging six per carry. He is second in the league, in that respect, among running backs with at least 40 carries. He has been able to stay fresh with the help of platoon LenDale White, who has 133 yards on 33 carries. But the team has obviously been crippled by the loss of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, who parted to be the head coach of the Detroit Lions. The unit is 25th in total defense and is fourth-to-last in points allowed.

Meanwhile, New England has been up-and-down, starting the year 3-2, but is undefeated at home. They are clearly more comfortable in Foxboro, beating the likes of Baltimore and Atlanta. The loss of leading-rusher Fred Taylor hurts, but the team accounted for that long ago. They kept five running backs on their roster, and the most talented of them all is Laurence Maroney. As long as he stays healthy, he will likely get most of the carries. Tom Brady's rating has dipped to 85.9 this year, but still has 1341 yards through the air and has a dangerous receiving corps. It will only get better if/when Joey Galloway learns the playbook and is inserted back in the lineup.

Check out the rest of the Week 6 NFL Game Previews to find other matchups on Sunday.

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