Pats a `questionable` play versus Saints

By Jeff Mason
Thu, Nov 17, 2005

It’s more bad news for the New England Patriots.

Another week and their injury report once again reads like a grocery list, with as many as 20 players out this week against the New Orleans Saints. As a result the Pats are now 9-point home favorites after opening as 10-point faves Monday.

“Again, it’s all injures,” says 5Dimes.com head oddsmaker Tony Williams, “Movements early in the week are injury driven. It’s as simple as that.”

Among the new additions are center Dan Koppen, who had started 46 straight games for New England but is now out for the season with a shoulder injury, and linebacker Monty Beisel, listed as questionable with an injured back.

“It’s like a military hostile with all those injuries,” says Williams. “The questionables, they’re listed as questionable, but from what I understand they’re probably not going to play once again.”

Among others on the injured list are running back Corey Dillon, wide receivers Troy Brown, Tim Dwight and David Givens and tight end Daniel Graham, all listed as questionable.

“I think you’ll see the public on New Orleans,” says Williams. “New England just doesn’t have the firepower to blow anybody out.”

Once again, quarterback Tom Brady will be called upon to lead the Pats to victory – something he has done better than any quarterback in NFL history. Brady is 51-18 in his career as a starter, but the talent around him appears to be diminishing by the week.

“Even though they have all these injuries, (the books) still put a premium price on them because they’re three-time world champions,” says Covers Expert Tony George. “They can pull out another one, but not by the point spread, because the defense can’t stop anybody.”

After only nine games this season, the Pats have matched their total ATS losses the past two years. New England went 26-5-1 against the number en route to back-to-back Super Bowls. This season, they`re 4-5.

“The value in any Patriots game for the next five or six weeks, until they get healthy again, will be in playing over,” says George. “They’re just going to have to make their offense as wide open as they can get it and they’re going to have to score points, because as I said, they can’t stop anybody.”

Against New Orleans might be a good place to start. The over has paid in every Saints-Pats game dating back to 1986 – a streak of seven games.
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