The New England Patriots have gone 1-2 through the first three weeks of the 2024 season, and now they'll look to take down the San Francisco 49ers to get back to .500.
New England's defense looked great in the opener, but they've definitely slipped a bit in the last two games.
At the same time, the offense has been horrendous, as they've been the second-worst scoring unit and the worst passing unit in the league.
A performance like that against the 49ers, even when they're missing Christian McCaffrey, Javon Hargrave and potentially Deebo Samuel, will likely lead to a third loss in as many weeks.
Before we get to game day, let's take a look at who some of the experts are predicting will win this Sunday's matchup.
NFL picks, predictions Week 4: Patriots vs. 49ers
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: Patriots 10, 49ers 24
Iyer: "The 49ers need to smash someone after a 1-2 start. The Patriots will be that team and provide a needed offensive and defensive break for the injury-riddled Niners. Brock Purdy loves passing at home and will build on his awesome game in Los Angeles last week. The Patriots will have limited success moving the ball on the Niners with Jacoby Brissett remaining overwhelmed."
Bill Bender, Sporting News: Patriots 17, 49ers 31
Bender: "It's a huge spread, and it's key not to over-value last week's performance by either team. The 49ers let a late lead slip, and they need stars Deebo Samuel and George Kittle to get healthy. There have been two NFL games with spreads of nine points or more this season, and the underdog has won straight-up both times. New England pulled that off in Week 1. This time, the 49ers pull away in the second half behind Brock Purdy, who averages 280.7 passing yards per game with a revolving-door supporting cast. "
Jeremy Cluff, Arizona Republic: Patriots 13, 49ers 24
Cluff: "We think the 49ers are too good to fall to 1-3 on the season, even with all their injuries, but this team isn't the same without Christian McCaffrey."
Matt Johnson, Sportsnaut: Patriots 6, 49ers 20
Johnson: "Even without Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey, the San Francisco 49ers are in a great position to put this game away quite easily. Nick Bosa and the 49ers defensive line should have little trouble getting into the New England Patriots backfield, with 3-plus sacks on the table. The Patriots might have a shot at keeping this to a close, low-scoring game if Rhamondre Stevenson has success on the ground, but that didn’t happen last week against the New York Jets. Ultimately, this is one of the best NFL rosters against one of the worst and the score should reflect that in Week 4."
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