NFL Preseason Week 1 is underway as fans get their first look at their favorite teams and players in some exhibition matches.
The Commanders and Patriots will play their first game of the preseason on Friday, Aug. 8 at 7:30 p.m. ET. It’s part of a three-game slate tonight.
New England is favored by seven points and is -290 on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The game total is set at over/under 36.5 points.
Here’s my prediction and pick for Friday’s Commanders vs. Patriots matchup.
Commanders vs. Patriots prediction
The Commanders had an excellent first season with Jayden Daniels under center. The team made the postseason for the first time since 2020 and the NFC Championship game since 1991. He remains the leader of this team, but there’s some trouble in paradise as Terry McLaurin requested a trade.
Neither player would likely play a ton tonight anyway, so it won’t impact the result of this matchup. Josh Johnson and Sam Hartman will likely receive the majority of the snaps as Marcus Mariota is injured.
Meanwhile, the Patriots will likely split time between Drake Maye, Joshua Dobbs and Ben Wooldridge. Maye was the primary starter during his rookie season and is expected to be the future of the New England franchise.
The Patriots finished 4-13 last season, so there’s still plenty of room to improve. Maye will likely see a handful of snaps to get comfortable with the offense ahead of his second professional year.
Commanders vs. Patriots pick, best bet
The first three preseason games of Week 1 have proven that teams can still score with their second and third units. Each game thus far has topped at least 40 total points, so it’s only right to ride the wave into tonight.
Regardless of how many snaps Maye and Daniels play, the teams should score a good chunk of points. The over/under is set at 36.5 points, which is doable with a final score of 19-18.