The Patriots are in a position they've rarely ever been in during the 23 seasons that Bill Belichick has been their head coach. New England is double-digit underdogs for Sunday's matchup against the Green Bay Packers.

Obviously, the big reason for that is due to the absence of Mac Jones, who'll miss Sunday's game due to an ankle injury. But the Packers are certainly a good team themselves, coming off back-to-back seasons in which they were the No. 1 seed in the NFC and look to be Super Bowl contenders again in 2022.

Here are four bold predictions for the Patriots in Sunday's game against the Packers.

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4. The Patriots' ground game has a strong performance

New England won't have its starting quarterback on Sunday and will instead have NFL journeyman Brian Hoyer under center. Even though the Patriots' passing take will be hampered, the ground game likely won't be.

One of the early season strengths for the Patriots has been the running back duo of Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson. Harris has 150 rushing yards on 35 carries (4.6 yards per attempt) while Stevenson has 145 rushing yards on 29 carries (5.0 yards per attempt), combining for three touchdowns along the way.

So, we know that the two backs are efficient. The big question will be if they can handle a heavier workload. Prior history suggests they can. Harris rushed for at least 100 yards in three of the six games he had at least 15 carries a year ago. In the infamous three-pass game for the Patriots against the Bills, Harris rushed 111 yards on 11 carries. While 64 of those yards came on one play, he averaged 4.7 yards per carry outside of that.

Stevenson's hit the century mark in two of the three games that he's had at least 15 carries. He's also coming off a performance in which he ran for 73 yards on 12 carries.

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As for their opponent, there's no denying that the Packers' defense has gotten off to a good start as they already rank among the best in the league in yards and points allowed. However, running backs have performed well against them. Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison combined for 126 yards on 28 carries (4.5 yards per carry) in Week 1 while David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert combined for 160 yards on 19 carries (8.4 yards per carry) in Week 2. Green Bay did a better job in Week 3, allowing Leonard Fournette to rush for just 35 yards, but there's evidence that a one-two punch out of the backfield can do damage against the Packers.

3. Patriots' defense limits Aaron Rodgers, but not shut him down

New England's pass defense has a favorable matchup for them this week – which is stunning to say considering that they face a four-time MVP.

But the Patriots' secondary hasn't gotten killed in the early part of the season. In fact, they've got a couple pleasant surprises back there. Jonathan Jones' switch from the slot to outside corner has been seamless as he ranks as Pro Football Focus' No. 1 corner through the first weeks. Fourth-round rookie Jack Jones has brought some solid play, too, getting targeted just three times since he saw his snaps increase over the last couple of weeks. Jalen Mills hasn't been too hot to start, but he allowed just one reception on three targets against the Ravens last week after lining up against Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Dionte Johnson in the first three weeks.

The most important thing for the Patriots' secondary though is that the Packers' receivers are still unproven. Romeo Doubs had some flash against the Buccaneers, but he shouldn't be a tremendous problem for the Patriots.

New England also has a pass rush that's been productive through the first few weeks on its side. New England's tied for fifth in the league with 10 sacks through the first three games and it might have had more if it weren't playing Lamar Jackson last week.

The big question for the Patriots is whether or not Kyle Dugger will be healthy. Mark Andrews took advantage of the matchup against Devin McCourty and Adrian Phillips last week, catching a pair of touchdowns. Dugger's potential absence could allow Packers tight end Robert Tonyan to have a strong day or Aaron Jones could have some damage as a receiver out of the backfield.

Dugger's questionable for Sunday's game.

2. It'll be a low-scoring affair for both sides

Last week, I accurately predicted that the Patriots and Ravens would each score 25-plus points (I predicted the Ravens would win 34-27). I'd expect the complete opposite this week.

We already know the Patriots starting Hoyer, who has lost his last 11 starts while the Packers' passing game isn't too strong. Both teams have strong run games, though. Aaron Jones has been one of the league's best dual-threat running backs over the past few seasons. He's already rushed for 217 yards on an outstanding 6.8 yards per carry to start the season. A.J. Dillon provides a powerful punch that helps the Packers move the ball in short-yardage situations.

It'd be wise for both times to play to their strengths on Sunday, and if that means running the ball a lot, then we'll likely get a low-scoring game because of it.

1. The Patriots fall in a squeaker 

It's a shame that the Patriots won't have their starting quarterback for this matchup. The Packers play right into their strengths, even at running back. New England's allowed just 3.6 yards per carry to opposing running backs to start the season.

It's just too tough ignore the talent discrepancy at quarterback, though. Even without any premier or even true No. 1 receivers, Rodgers can still make plays with the best of them when it matters. I wouldn't be shocked if the Patriots lead for much of the game on Sunday before the Packers pull out a win because Rodgers made the plays in the clutch and Hoyer didn't.

Final score: Packers 17, Patriots 13.