Packers & Patriots: DeVonte Parker Rising, Mac Jones Out

Sunday 25th of September, marked the Patriots opening home game of the 2022/23 NFL season, but the Baltimore Ravens played spoiler and handed the home team a 37-26 loss. 

Bill Belichick and company haven't had the positive start to the new NFL season they hoped for. After losing their second game of the season this past weekend, the New England Patriots are rock bottom of the AFC East with a 1-2 record. And in an unfortunate schedule circumstance, the difficult Green Bay Packers are waiting.

Mac Jones versus Lamar Jackson

As the final score suggests, New England moved the ball at a credible rate on Sunday, and they did an exceptional job of pushing themselves into Ravens territory. However, the closer they reached the Ravens' endzone, the more mistakes were made by quarterback Mac Jones.

Multiple interceptions stemmed from poor throwing, nothing more, nothing less. Excuses must be made on rare occasions at this elite level of football, and Jones is all out of them through the first three games of the season.

Likewise, the Patriots' defense matched the offense and played a notable four quarters. However, Lamar Jackson is just that damn good. Naturally, Caesars sportsbook Massachusetts would have received most of its Sunday wagers in favor of the Patriots. Still, if Jackson's performance could have been predicted, not even the MA faithful would've faded the Ravens quarterback at the bookmakers.

Oddsmakers kept the Patriots/Ravens spread tight with a 2.5-point differential on Maryland betting apps. Still, Jackson's continued high-level showings have destroyed these sportsbook spread predictions in meetings with the New York Jets (24-9) and the Patriots (37-26).

 Jackson threw for 218 yards and landed four touchdowns against Belichick's men; he also ran for 107 with another score and was basically unstoppable inside the Gillette Stadium.

However, despite the Patriots suffering another loss, their opponents weren't the only team walking away with positives from the game.
 

DeVante Parker finally silenced his critics versus the Ravens this past weekend.

Mac Jones lasered in on Parker 10 times during their 37-26 loss to Baltimore, and the wide receiver impressed with five catches for 156 yards – three yards away from his career-best.

The receiver that the Patriots believed they were getting when they traded him from the Dolphins during the offseason lived up to the expectations; his explosiveness and determination in Week 3's loss was a relief for fans as his catches went for 31, 40, 36, 25, and 24 yards.

Jones has thrown four picks when targeting Parker since the beginning of the season. The quarterback and receiver will undoubtedly want to fix their communication moving forward, especially when a dangerous Green Bay team is waiting to trample the opposition in Week 4. In addition, Mac Jones's injury status isn’t good, and he’s likely to miss Sunday's game.

Parker won’t have an elite quarterback to hand him the ball, and I expect the Packers to unleash a beatdown at the weekend. 

Bookmakers released the odds with Green Bay as a -8.5 favorite which has since shot to -11, but of course, the line will lower if Jones is cleared to play. However, Jones or no Jones, the Packers are finding their groove, and Aaron Rodgers has proved his throwing still has what it takes to win a Super Bowl.

The Patriots haven't been a team worth betting on, and this doesn't change in Week 4. Only three teams have failed to cover at least one spread this season, and the Patriots are one of those teams. At the opposite end, the Packers are 2-1 against the spread (ATS) this season and 8-2 ATS in their previous 10 home games.

When New England is forced to start backup quarterback Brian Hoyer, the Packers won't give him an easy four quarters. In his previous 11 starts, Hoyer has lost all of them. To add, Green Bay is coming off a hard-fought battle and victory over the preseason NFC favorite Buccaneers and has also won 14 consecutive regular-season games at home.

Green Bay could make Week 4 ugly for the Patriots, and I don't even think it's close. 

 

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Comments (4)

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egbertsouse's picture

September 30, 2022 at 08:08 am

Wow, Ed Wood! Worst director of all time.

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dobber's picture

September 30, 2022 at 08:18 am

"Green Bay could make Week 4 ugly for the Patriots, and I don't even think it's close. "

As Lee Corso would say, "NOT SO FAST!"

Yes, the Pats have not been a juggernaut this season. They ran up and down the field against what's looking like a really bad Baltimore defense, though, and the Packers have shown in the past that they'll allow mediocre QBs to look good at times. I don't expect a blowout this weekend. If the Packers would have been rolling out points, maybe, but they haven't.

The Pats will play to control the clock and shorten the game, and the Packers will need to be far more efficient in their drives and converting them into points than they have been. The Packers have been outscored 18-10 in the second half...let that sink in: in 6 quarters of second-half play, the Packers have held their opponents to 18 points (which is awesome!), but only scored 10 (which is woefully pathetic).

After the Bears game, I'm not sure this Packers team has found that next gear. Would love for it to happen, and soon! I think this will be a one-score game. GB 27-20.

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

September 30, 2022 at 11:01 am

I am not sure I agree. I think NE has some pieces.

NE is 10th ranked in offense by yards. They are 25th ranked in points. A 42.9% conversion rate on third down tells that tale. Worse, they are one for three on fourth down conversions. Their red zone number is average, with the percentage 17th ranked but they have just 9 trips into the red zone.

It is a similar tale on defense, which is also ranked 10th by yards allowed but 22nd by points allowed. NE has played Miami and Baltimore, which both look like good offenses, with the Steelers sandwiched in between, which is 31st by yards and 19th by points.

I think Belicheck gets this figured out well enough to make NE a tough out.

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PatrickGB's picture

September 30, 2022 at 01:58 pm

Having watched no name’s defeat the Packers in the past, it’s best not to overlook anyone. Especially coached by Bad Bill Belicheck.

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