Patriots Drop Below Panthers in 2024 Betting Odds for Lowest Projected Win Total

Sportsbooks moved the New England Patriots below the Carolina Panthers for the lowest projected win total in the 2024 NFL season, according to the latest betting odds.

New England Patriots have a projected win total of 4.5 wins for the 2024 season under coach Jerod Mayo

At multiple sportsbooks, the Patriots now have the lowest win total of the 32 teams on the board, with an over/under of 4.5 wins this season.

ESPN’s Mike Clay has New England's win total projection set at 4.9 wins, the Pats' lowest season win total since 1991 (O/U 4, finished 6-10).

Meanwhile, the Panthers have moved to over/under 5.5 wins. At 5.5, Carolina is tied with the Denver Broncos for the second-lowest win total. The Panthers finished the 2023 season with a league-worst 2-15 record.

Carolina has not qualified for the playoffs since 2017, when Cam Newton was still the Panthers' starting quarterback and Ron Rivera was the head coach.

Patriots 2024 schedule.

Late bye. No back-to-back West coast games.

Just one prime-time game (possible for more with flex). pic.twitter.com/7w9VHuJJGY

— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) May 16, 2024

After two decades of dominance in the 21st century, the Patriots finally hit rock bottom in the 2023 season. Eight-time Super Bowl champion coach Bill Belichick was fired, and Jerod Mayo succeeded the hoodie.

On Jan. 12, 2024, the Patriots announced Mayo as the 15th head coach in franchise history and their first Black head coach.

In March, New England traded its 2021 first-round quarterback, Mac Jones, to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 2024 sixth-round pick. Jacksonville declined the fifth-year option on Jones’ contract, which will allow him to become a free agent next summer.

Despite drafting Drake Maye, Jacoby Brissett will be New England's starting quarterback this season

With the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 draft, the New England Patriots selected Drake Maye out of North Carolina. Maye, who turns 22 on Aug. 30, threw for 8,018 yards with 63 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in his collegiate career with the Tar Heels.

Maye will be competing with veteran Jacoby Brissett for the starting quarterback position. In May, New England's VP of player personnel, Eliot Wolf, was a guest on the Up and Adams Show with Kaye Adams.

Wolf reaffirmed that Brissett will be the team’s starting quarterback heading into the 2024 season.

“Drake Maye, let’s be honest, we’ve had him for three weeks now and there is a long way to go for all of our rookies and all of our players as we adapt to this new scheme that [offensive coordinator] Alex Van Pelt is implementing offensively,” said Wolf.

“We’ll have those conversations as they arise. I’m sure it will be a collaborative approach as it has been so far with, really, all the big decisions we’ve made. ... All four of the quarterbacks on the roster are working hard and ready to go.”

Considering the Patriots haven't ended a season with two wins since 1992, perhaps the AFC East team will be able to win at least five games this season. Overall, the Pats had a decent draft.

For those wondering, New England has never had a winless season. The Patriots' worst effort was their 1-15 finish in 1990.

Last season was the club's first four-win season since 1969, when the team was known as the Boston Patriots. It was also the Pats' worst record since Belichick's first season with the organization in 2000.