Pats backers score more confidence

[clevfan]

Pats backers score more confidence

By Chris Letourneau / The Bet Box
Monday, October 6, 2008
Boston Herald

Don’t look now, but this gambling season is shaping up nicely for the Patriots, as evidenced by yesterday’s 30-21 win against the 49ers in San Francisco.

The Niners didn’t do Pats backers any favors by losing to New Orleans last week and, as a result, the local team actually was favored by 3 points on the road. But J.T. O’Sullivan, Frank Gore and Mike Nolan - up and coming though they might be - just aren’t ready to handle the Pats, no matter who the quarterback is and where the game is played.

Matt Cassel continued to get better, Sammy Morris proved he is twice as good as Laurence Maroney, the defense did just enough and Stephen Gostkowski earned MVP honors in the eyes of gamblers across New England. The Pats evened their record against the number to 2-2, and over bettors also improved to 2-2 as the teams easily cleared the 41-point line.

Now the big-money question: Can the Pats beat the struggling San Diego Chargers, who were among the favorites to win the AFC but are a complete mess right now?

The Pats are staying on the West Coast all week and likely will be slight underdogs against a team desperate to score a win in front of its increasingly restless fans.

My luck eventually will run out, but it’s never a good idea to bet against a streak. I like the way Cassel is playing, and given the Chargers’ shocking state of disarray, play the Pats as a moderate bet.