Patriots 2023 NFL playoff odds: Defensive stars Matthew Judon, Christian Gonzalez could miss season, team brings back former Pro Bowl cornerback J.C. Jackson

There's not much good to say about the New England Patriots right now as they come off their worst-ever loss under Bill Belichick. Quarterback Mac Jones is regressing and the defense has lost two of its best players in pass-rusher Matthew Judon and cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who was among the Defensive Rookie of the Year favorites. Both could be out for the season. The Pats did make a notable move Wednesday to help replace Gonzalez in trading for Chargers cornerback J.C. Jackson. At 1-3, New England is now +370 to reach the playoffs and -500 for to not at DraftKings.

Judon is set to have surgery today on his torn right biceps and it's unclear if he can return in 2023. The four-time Pro Bowler was injured early in the fourth quarter of the Patriots' 38-3 loss in Dallas on Sunday when he reached his right arm out to tackle running back Deuce Vaughn. Judon had a career-high 15.5 sacks last year and has four this year, along with 13 tackles.

If you took out his four sacks this year, New England has six total, the fourth worst in the league. Judon was +5000 to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year entering Week 4 but is now +1500. Judon's absence shines a big spotlight on Josh Uche, who is playing in a contract year.

Gonzalez has risen to +3000 to win Defensive Rookie of the Year with the news that the first-round pick out of Oregon is expected to miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury suffered in Sunday's loss. Gonzalez had been spectacular in the early going. He was the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Month for September, the first Patriots player to win the award since Chandler Jones did so in 2012. Gonzalez has 17 tackles, a sack, a pick and three passes defensed.

With fellow defensive backs Jonathan Jones, Jack Jones and Marcus Jones (on IR) also injured, the Pats made the move to bring Jackson back on Wednesday. The Chargers will receive a 2025 sixth-round pick and will send the Patriots a 2025 seventh-rounder along with Jackson, who was second-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler in 2021 with New England when he had eight picks (nine in 2020). Jackson originally signed with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and tallied 25 interceptions as a member of the franchise.

That led Los Angeles to sign him to a five-year, $82 million deal in free agency, but Jackson was a monster bust with just one pick in a Chargers uniform. He had been benched for the last two games. When asked if he was healthy ahead of the team's Week 4 matchup, he replied: "I'm not 100 percent," he said. "I'm doing what I can." Jackson also had a warrant issued for his arrest in late September due to a 2021 criminal speeding violation. The Bolts will reportedly pay the majority of his $12 million salary this year and will take a $15 million dead-cap charge in 2024.

New England is currently -1.5 for Sunday's home game against New Orleans. Belichick would become the third head coach in league history with 300 career wins (including the playoffs). This is the Pats' third straight season starting 1-3. They never started that poorly when Tom Brady was in town.

Every major sportsbook was massively exposed on Patriots Over 7.5 wins entering the season, but they are now set at O/U 6.5. There is some scuttlebutt that Belichick might retire if New England finishes with another losing record. Offshore book Bovada offers a prop on who will be the Patriots' coach in Week 1 of 2024 and Belichick is the -200 favorite, but that's much lower than some 2022 special props on his potential retirement. 

Get more out of your SportsLine subscription! 

Qualifying SportsLine members receive a 30-day free trial of Paramount+ premium. Sync your account right here.