Washington Football Team vs New England Patriots Odds, Picks, and Predictions
- The Washington Football Team and New England Patriots’ preseason begins Thursday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts
- The Football Team are 2-point road favorites over the Patriots
- See the odds, spread, and best bets below
The NFL preseason begins with the Washington Football Team vs New England Patriots Thursday night. Kickoff is from Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts and is scheduled for 7:30 pm ET on NFL Network.
The Football Team are looking to build off of the 2020 season which saw them win the NFC East for the first time since 2015. The Patriots finished 7-9 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
Washington Football Team vs New England Patriots Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Football Team | -2 (-110) | -135 | O 34.5 (-125) |
| New England Patriots | +2 (-110) | +115 | U 34.5 (+105) |
Odds as of August 10th at DraftKings
The Washington Football Team are 2-point favorites and the total is currently 34.5. This game has seen some movement as Washington opened at -2.5 and the total started at 32.5. What do the sharps know that the books don’t is the question.
New England Patriots’ Quarterbacks
Like the regular season, the NFL Preseason is all about the quarterback position. I always like to look for quarterback “battles” as they can lead bettors to teams that actually want to play these games. Cam Newton is likely to be the starter for New England in Week 1 but a lot of people around the Patriots’ camp believe first-round draft pick, Mac Jones, is breathing down his neck.
Patriots Rookie QB Mac Jones #BuiltByBama pic.twitter.com/Sdq9YbIGY7
— InsideBamaRecruiting Alabama Football (@RTRnews) August 5, 2021
It’s tough to say how much Jones will play in the opener but you have to believe it will be much more than Newton. It’s reasonable to assume Newton plays a drive or two before giving way to Jones. The Patriots waived Jake Dolegala Monday and Jarrett Stidham underwent back surgery so Brian Hoyer is the only other quarterback on the roster. It’s reasonable to expect a lot of Hoyer in the second half of this one.
Washington Football Teams’ Quarterbacks
The Washington Football Team may not have a quarterback battle going on but don’t tell that to Tyler Heinicke. After coming up big in the playoffs last year against the eventual Super Bowl Champion, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Heinicke enters the season number two on the depth chart. The Football Team went out and got veteran, cultural icon, Ryan Fitzpatrick, in the offseason and he’s in line to lead Washington this season.
First player out on the field after the day off yesterday is …. Drumroll … Ryan Fitzpatrick #WashingtonFootball pic.twitter.com/3lm7MpmeIe
— Mitchell Tischler (@Mitch_Tischler) August 8, 2021
How much time Fitz-magic spends on the field in this game is a mystery. Coach Ron Rivera gave the old coaches answer Sunday, saying the goal is to “play him enough” when asked about Fitzpatrick’s involvement in this game. It’s reasonable to assume Fitzpatrick plays a couple of drives then sits for the rest of the night. At that point, Heinicke will come in and be relieved by Steven Montez in the second half. Kyle Allen is still in the fold but unlikely to play in this one after re-injuring his ankle.
Quarterbacks Aren’t the Only Position
Obviously there is more to football than the quarterback position. There are multiple new faces on each team’s roster but one that will likely make an impact Thursday night will be Jonnu Smith. With the way the Patriots went after the tight end position in free agency grabbing both Smith and Hunter Henry, one would expect the tires to be kicked. At least in the first half of this game.
Cam Newton seems to be having a nice day. This time airing it out to Jonnu Smith with the toe-tapping catch on the sideline
📹 via PatsPerfect/IG pic.twitter.com/3em3P1gpQ7
— Casey Baker (@_CaseyBaker) August 3, 2021
The Patriots also added another pass catcher in Nelson Agholor to the mix in free agency but he is unlikely to stay in the game for long. Kristian Wilkerson is the wide receiver that is getting the most hype in the Patriots’ camp so we will likely get a long look at him.
As much preseason hype as Wilkerson is getting, he won’t even be the most hyped receiver in camp in this game. Nobody in Washington’s camp can stop talking about Dynami Brown. Filthy is the word that best describes the rookie so far in camp.
Dyami Brown with an absolutely filthy diamond release for the win here. Just NASTY stuff from the rookie. https://t.co/pF56jyswrx
— Ray G (@RayGQue) August 7, 2021
Washington Football Team vs New England Patriots Best Bet
At the end of the day, this one feels more like a coin flip than anything. Both teams are likely to come into this one with the mindset of executing little things while not getting hurt. It will likely come down to the fourth quarter and if it does, the Patriots seem like the side to back. Steven Montez should be in the game by then for the Football Team and he’s a turnover machine whereas Brian Hoyer isn’t likely to make a big mistake. At plus money on the moneyline, New England feels like the right side.
Pick: New England Patriots ML (+115)
John has spent the past 20+ years betting sports on a daily basis and is considered by many to be a walking sports betting encyclopedia. From obscure player props to sides and totals, if there is an angle, John will find it.
