NFL Predictions 2012: Will the New England Patriots Win 12 or More Games?

Expectations are always going to be high for the New England Patriots as long as Tom Brady is under center, but fans may need to prepare for a slight drop-off heading into 2012 NFL season.

Cantor Gaming of Las Vegas has established the Patriots' regular-season win total at 12, which is a victory short of the team's 13-3 record in 2011.

New England will be highly motivated to return to the Super Bowl for a second consecutive year, dropping a 21-17 decision to the New York Giants as three-point neutral-site favorites in Indianapolis on Feb. 5.

The Patriots will always draw a crowd at the betting window for this type of offering, as the public is enamored with Brady and an offense that ranked third in the NFL after scoring 513 points in 2011. Even with those impressive numbers, the squad was only able to produce a 9-7 against-the-spread record.

Three of the first four games on its 2012 NFL schedule will be played on the road, including a Week 3 showdown against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 23. New England will be facing a revenge-minded opponent in that affair, handing Baltimore a 23-20 loss in last year's AFC Championship Game.

The rest of the schedule is certainly manageable, especially with the bye coming at an opportune time in Week 9, which will be followed by a pair of home games against the Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts.

The Patriots need to at least match this total in hopes of earning home-field advantage through the playoffs this year, but I'm a little leery of the number.

If you're looking to play the "over" in the NFL futures market, I recommend getting in at this time, as the number will likely rise before the season opener against the Tennessee Titans on the road on Sept. 9.

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