The Washington Commanders (3-5) will head on the road to face off against the New England Patriots (2-6) in a battle of two teams who are on the wrong side of .500 as we hit the season’s halfway mark. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET from Gillette Stadium with all the action available to watch on FOX.
The Patriots come in as 3-point favorites at home, priced at -162 on the moneyline while the Commanders are set at +136. The point total set for this Week 9 contest is 40.5. All odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Commanders vs. Patriots, Week 9: Pick against the spread
The Commanders are coming off a 38-31 loss at home to the Eagles in Week 8, marking their second straight defeat as they fall to 3-5. It was still a great effort from Washington as QB Sam Howell threw for a season-high 397 yards and four touchdowns, finishing as the QB1 across the NFL on the week. It was a big improvement from Howell’s performance against the Giants in Week 7 when he was held to just 249 yards and didn’t find the end zone.
The Patriots have lost four of their last five outings as they’re coming off a 31-17 loss in Miami. Mac Jones was held to just 161 yards as he completed 19 of 29 passes, but he managed to toss two touchdowns in the loss. Kendrick Bourne came out of the game with an ACL tear, ending the veteran receiver’s season prematurely as the Pats will now have to forge ahead without him.
While both teams have been inconsistent this season, watching Sam Howell play his best game of the season last week makes me keen on Washington getting their first win over the Patriots in 20 years. It might be a close affair, but I’m backing the Commanders to win and cover the spread at Gillette Stadium.