Patriots vs. Chiefs NFL Week 4 betting odds: With Brian Hoyer at QB, Pats double-digit dogs for first time since SB XXXVI

The New England Patriots opened as 7-point underdogs on the NFL odds at William Hill sportsbook for their Week 4 matchup in Kansas City. That was supposed to be played Sunday late afternoon, but the positive COVID-19 test by New England quarterback Cam Newton pushed the game to tonight at 7:05 ET on CBS. With veteran journeyman Brian Hoyer starting in place of Newton, the Patriots are now 11-point underdogs on the Vegas spread – the first time they have been double-digit dogs since +14 in upsetting the St. Louis Rams 20-17 in Super Bowl XXXVI. That was the first championship of the Bill Belichick/Tom Brady Era (and in franchise history).

The Patriots have been double-digit underdogs just twice under Belichick in regular-season games and both were in 2001, Brady's first year as the starter. The first was when New England was +13 Week 3 at home vs. Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, with the Pats winning in a 44-13 romp. The other was +10.5 was Week 6 at Indianapolis and New England won that one, too, 38-17. Thus, the team is 3-0 straight up and against the spread under Belichick as a double-digit underdog.

Hoyer hasn't won an NFL start since 2016. His teams are 22-32 SU in games he has thrown at least one pass but 29-25 ATS (he's 16-22 SU in starts). Hoyer's teams have lost 10 straight games he started: Three with Chicago, six with the 49ers and one last year with the Colts. Since 2002, Hoyer will be the just the sixth Patriots starting QB.

The Patriots are the only team to beat Kansas City QB Patrick Mahomes twice (including playoffs). His first regular-season loss was Week 6 of the 2018 season at Foxboro and his lone career playoff defeat was in the AFC title game following that season at Arrowhead.

New England didn't even fly to KC until Monday morning after test results came back. The team was taking two planes, one of which carried roughly 20 people who have had close contact with Newton. The Pats are in a bit of an unusual schedule run where they play three straight AFC West foes; they beat the Raiders 36-20 in Week 3. It's possible but not overly likely that Newton could be back Week 5 vs. Denver. Then the Pats are on their bye.

One big injury note for Monday: In a bit of a surprise, top running back Sony Michel has been ruled out with a quad injury. He had 117 yards on just nine carries last week vs. the Raiders. 

Who wins every NFL game this week? And which teams cover more than 50 percent of the time? Get picks here from the SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times and ranked in the Top 10 on NFLPickWatch three of the past four years on straight-up NFL picks.