The New England Patriots find themselves in the unfamiliar position of third place in the AFC East entering their Week 7 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Gillette Stadium.
The Patriots are under .500 in October for the first time since 2002, and they'll need to show plenty of improvement offensively to score on a 49ers defense that ranks No. 5 in yards allowed per game and 10th in points allowed per game.
New 2020 NFL Power Rankings entering Week 7
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New England failed to score a single touchdown in its 18-12 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 6. Patriots quarterback Cam Newton threw two interceptions and his wide receivers failed to consistently get open. The offensive line also struggled and gave up a season-high four sacks.
The defending NFC champion 49ers are 3-3 and coming off a 24-16 win over the Los Angeles Rams on "Monday Night Football".
It's been a rollercoaster season for the 49ers. Their only wins are against the New York Jets, New York Giants and a Rams team that hasn't beaten anyone outside the NFC East. Injuries also have been a huge factor for San Francisco. Star defensive end Nick Bosa tore his ACL in Week 2 and won't return this season. Starting running back Raheem Mostert is expected to go on injured reserve and miss Sunday's matchup with the Patriots.
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49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has struggled at times this season, although he gave a bounce-back performance versus the Rams with 268 passing yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. He'll be plenty motivated going up against his former team Sunday afternoon in Foxboro.
From a betting standpoint, neither team has shined in 2020. The 49ers are 3-3 against-the-spread (ATS), while the Patriots are 2-3 ATS.
The 'Niners have won 13 of their last 20 games, including a 5-1 ATS record over their last six road contests. However, the 49ers are only 1-4 ATS and 1-4 overall in the team's last five games versus the Patriots. New England is 16-4 in its last 20 home games, including a 2-1 record this season.
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Here are the latest betting lines for Patriots vs. 49ers.
Spread: Patriots -2.5 (-115), 49ers +2.5 (-105)
Moneyline: Patriots -140, 49ers +120
Total: Over 45.5 -110, Under 45.5 -110
Odds provided by our partner, PointsBet