POLL: Will the Patriots defense allow 30 or more points again in 2017?

Las Vegas oddsmakers still have the New England Patriots as the favorite to win Super Bowl LII, but their previously extensive lead over the Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Pittsburgh Steelers is dwindling. That shouldn’t be news after the Patriots fell to the Carolina Panthers and as the New England defense remains in preseason mode.

A more interesting discussion comes from Bovada as they have set a prop bet for the Patriots defense: How many more games will the Patriots allow 30 or more points in the 2017 Regular Season?

The over/under is set at 2. What do you think?

The Patriots have allowed the opposing team to score 30 or more points three out of the four games in 2017 and they haven’t made any improvements week-to-week. With teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, and Pittsburgh Steelers still on the schedule, there are plenty of opportunities for the New England defense to hit the over.

But New England has allowed four teams to score 30 or more points in a game just twice under head coach Bill Belichick: 2008 and 2013. The atrocious 2011 defense only let up 30 or more points once all regular season. The 2006 defense is the only Patriots squad not to allow 30+ points all year.

The Patriots are 12-29 in the regular season under Belichick when they allow 30 or more points, which signifies a bigger and just as obvious problem. This team won’t be making any noise in the postseason without a defensive improvement.

When will that improvement come? Will the Patriots struggle until the bye week? How many more times will they allow 30 or more points?