Patriots open as massive underdogs vs. banged-up 49ers in Week 4 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The San Francisco 49ers haven’t played great football through their first three games despite coming into the 2024 NFL season among the Super Bowl favorites, but oddsmakers seem pretty confident in their ability to beat the New England Patriots in Week 4.
The Patriots have opened as 10.5-point underdogs, per odds at Fanatics Sportsbook.
That’s a pretty massive number, but not all that surprising when you consider just how poorly the Patriots played in Week 3.
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They lost 24-3 to the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football, and the stats tell an even more lopsided story. The Jets had a 400-139 edge in total yards, a 5.9 to 2.7 advantage in yards per play, a 40:04 to 19:56 lead in time of possession and a 27-11 edge in first downs.
New England has scored only one touchdown in its last seven quarters of play. This team also ranks dead last in total yards per game and passing yards per game, while ranking second-to-last in points scored at 13 per game. And we haven’t even mentioned the Patriots offensive line, which is an absolute disaster right now.
The 49ers haven’t played anywhere near their best, either. After beating the Jets in Week 1, the 49ers have lost back-to-back games to the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams — both on the road. The ‘Niners led the Rams 14-0 and 24-14 during Sunday’s game in L.A. but ultimately lost 27-24.
The 49ers should be plenty motivated for a bounce back Sunday. But you never know what can happen, and that has been evident through the first three weeks of the season. Almost no one expected the Patriots to beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1, but they did, and earned the biggest Week 1 upset since 2018. Did anyone predict the Carolina Panthers would dominate the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday? The Panthers won 36-22 after losing their first two games by a combined score of 73-13.
The 49ers also are dealing with injuries to important players. Star running back Christian McCaffrey is on injured reserve and won’t play in Week 4. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters last week that star wide receiver Deebo Samuel would miss “a couple weeks” after suffering a calf strain in Week 2. Tight end George Kittle missed the Rams game due to a hamstring injury. His status for Week 4 is unknown at this time.
The Patriots are 1-1-1 against-the-spread this season, while the 49ers are 1-2 (1-0 at home). Kickoff for Sunday’s matchup is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET.
