Commanders vs. Patriots Point Spread: NFL Week 9 Odds, Prediction
The Patriots return home following a 31-17 loss in Miami last weekend, and have now lost 11 of 15 overall since last year’s Thanksgiving weekend. The Commanders turned in a valiant effort before finally falling 38-31 to Philadelphia last weekend, and have now surrendered at least 34 points four times while losing five of their past six.
The Patriots return home as slim 3-point favourites on the NFL Week 9 odds. The Commanders are pegged as +135 underdogs on the NFL moneyline, and the total is listed at 41.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The Patriots enjoyed a glimmer of hope while rolling to a shocking 29-25 upset win over Buffalo two weeks ago, but returned to more familiar form in last weekend’s lopsided loss in Miami. New England has now lost by an average margin of 21.8 points over their four recent defeats, and enter Week 9 sporting the second worst offence in the league after averaging just 14.87 points per game during a 2-6 start. Home cooking has provided no relief for the Pats, who have averaged just 16.7 points and covered just once while losing five of their past seven at Gillette Stadium. However, the Patriots have dominated Washington in recent meetings, winning four straight while outscoring the Commanders by a massive 146-51 margin. The Commanders have been regularly trounced by opponents during a brutal 1-5 run. The trade deadline departure of top defenders Chase Young and Montez Sweat does little to help a beleaguered Washington defence that has allowed 18 total touchdown passes over the past eight games.
Washington Commanders
If things weren’t already tough enough for the Commanders defence, the departure of Young and Sweat now leaves massive holes in their defensive line. And expecting the Commanders offense to pick up the slack may be too much to ask. Granted, quarterback Sam Howell is coming off a solid four-TD performance in last week’s loss to Philly. However, the Eagles are the only team the Commanders have managed to score against during their 1-5 slide, tallying 31 points in each of their dates with Philadelphia while averaging just 13.5 points over the other four games over that stretch. Matters are not helped by receiver Curtis Samuel and tight end Logan Thomas landing on the injury report. Indeed, it adds to the pressure on rusher Brian Robinson, who has recorded four of the team’s six scoring runs this season.
New England Patriots
After scoring a season-high 29 points against Buffalo, the Patriots attack once again struggled against Miami, with seven of their 17 points coming in garbage time. For the second time in as many games, Mac Jones connected on two scoring passes, but also tossed his sixth pick in five games, and saw his completion rate drop from 83.3% to 65.5%. While the Pats enjoyed a second straight strong start, they faded right on cue in the second quarter, and have scored just six total points in the second frame over the past five games. Injuries to Devante Parker and Pharoah Brown have further hurt the team’s receiving depth. However, Ezekiel Elliott has shown signs of breaking through after enduring a slow start in his Pats debut, and has run for touchdowns in two of the past three games.
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