Patriots backers feel hit in their pockets

[clevfan]

Patriots backers feel hit in their pockets

By Chris Letourneau / The Bet Box
Monday, September 8, 2008
bostonherald.com

Remember last year, when the Patriots started 8-0 against the spread but finished 10-9 because Vegas set the lines higher than Cheech and Chong? Remember all those frustrating late-season games in which they won but failed to bring in the cash?

Yes, it happened again yesterday in Foxboro, where the Pats beat the Chiefs, 17-10, but did not come close to covering the 16-point spread. However, this gambling season could take a much different turn if Tom Brady is out for a long time.

Pats fans certainly are using four-letter words today when referring to Bernard Pollard, the Chiefs safety who crashed into Brady’s knee and forced him out of the game. Local backers were left for dead and began the campaign 0-1, as did over bettors, who never sniffed the 44-point line.

But if there is a bright side, it is that your team will not face big chalk as long as the GQ QB is on the shelf (save for those home games against Miami and St. Louis).

In fact, the Pats might even get a few looks as underdogs, a role they haven’t played since that fateful 2006 AFC title tilt against the Colts.

So try your best to forget about Bernie and the Chiefs. Get that image of Brady hobbling into the tunnel out of your mind, and replace it with Matt Cassel slowly improving as he gets comfortable with the weapons around him.

Grinding out wins and covers each week isn’t as pretty and exciting as all those blowouts and a near-perfect season.

But it just might be better on the bank account.