New England Patriots vs Washington Commanders Odds, Spread, Predictions & Picks (Aug. 25)

Aug 15, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe (4) looks to pass during the second half against the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

• The winless Washington Commanders host the New England Patriots in the final 2024 NFL preseason game
• Still searching for their QB1, the Patriots are expected to play all four quarterbacks on their roster
• Below, see the New England Patriots vs Washington Commanders odds, predictions, and best bets for August 25

The 2024 NFL preseason wraps up on Sunday night with the New England Patriots (1-1, 0-0 away) visiting the Washington Commanders (0-2, 0-0 home) at Commanders Field in Landover, MD, at 8:00 pm ET.

The Commanders will be playing their first and only home game of the preseason while the Pats will be on the road for the first time. Despite home-field advantage, winless Washington is listed as a big 6.5-point underdog in Sunday’s Patriots vs Commanders odds, one of the biggest point spreads of the entire preseason.

New England Patriots vs Washington Commanders Odds

On the moneyline, the Patriots are -320 chalk to win straight-up. The Commanders come back as +250 home underdogs to avoid a winless preseason. The game total is sitting at 36 flat with -110 odds both ways.

Odds as of August 25 at Caesars Sportsbook. Get the best apps to bet on sports for Sunday’s Patriots vs Commanders game. 

Like the Cardinals vs Broncos game earlier in the day, the Sunday night battle between the Patriots and Commanders is another tilt between two of the biggest Super Bowl 59 longshots. Coming off a horrendous 4-13 season, New England is currently +16000 on average in the Super Bowl odds. Washington, which also went 4-13 last season, is slightly shorter at +12333 on average.

Commanders Sitting Jayden Daniels in Final Preseason Game, Mariota Injured

Jayden Daniels, the reigning Heisman Trophy-winner and #2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, has secured the starting quarterback job in Washington in his first season. As such, new coach Dan Quinn is going to hold his starter out of the final tune-up game. Making matters worse, backup Marcus Mariota is going to miss the Patriots game with a groin injury.

That means the Commanders will have to roll with journeyman Jeff Driskel, undrafted rookie Sam Hartman, and newly signed Penn State product Trace McSorley. McSorley, who spent last year on the Bears and Steelers’ practice squads, looked shaky last week in his first action with Washington, going 11/21 for 93 yards, no touchdowns, one interception, and three sacks in a 13-6 loss to the Dolphins.

Driskel was 11/15 for 82 yards and one sack and one field-goal drive. Daniels was an impressive 10/12 for 78 yards and one field-goal drive, as well.

Hartman didn’t play against Miami but was a solid 8/13 for 83 yards against the Jets in Week 1, leading the team on a 73-yard touchdown drive that spanned the third and fourth quarter.

With the WR depth chart wide open Luke McCaffrey will find himself on the field sooner rather than later by continuing to make plays like this. pic.twitter.com/ebXONwMRQ3

— Ben Cummins (@BenCumminsFF) August 18, 2024

Rookie third-round pick Luke McCaffrey (brother of Christian) has four catches for 55 yards (13.8 YPC).

Patriots QB1 Still in Question

Unlike the vast majority of NFL teams, the Patriots still haven’t decided on their Week 1 starter heading into their final preseason tilt. The battle is between veteran Jacoby Brissett and rookie third-overall pick Drake Maye, with Bailey Zappe and Joe Milton III battling for the third-string job.

All four QBs have seen game action in each of the first two preseason games for New England. Zappe has the most attempts, going 15/24 137 yards no TDs, no picks, and two sacks. Milton has the only TD pass among the bunch, going 6/13 for 74 yards, one major, and no interceptions. Rookie Maye, whom most Pats fans are hoping will win the job, has gone a respectable 8/14 for 66 yards, no passing touchdowns, one rushing TD, no INTs, and one sack. He led New England’s only touchdown drive in last week’s 14-13 loss to the Eagles.

New England’s first game of the preseason was a 17-3 rout of lowly Carolina. The Pats’ defense smothered the Panthers, allowing just 151 yards of total offense and generating five sacks.

That defense was exposed somewhat by the Eagles, however, allowing 283 yards (210 passing) at 4.2 yards per play, which are relatively gaudy numbers for a preseason game.

New England Patriots vs Washington Commanders Predictions

Preseason bettors have been all over the Patriots. They flipped from a 2.5-point underdog against the Eagles to a 2.5-point favorite by kickoff, and looked primed to cover until the Eagles “exploded” for 11 fourth-quarter points. But this line is overvaluing the Pats and giving very little credence to the Commanders.

Both rosters will be filled with undrafted players fighting tooth-and-nail for a job, and the QB combo of McSorley and Hartman has shown about as much in the preseason as the quartet of pivots on the New England roster.

I love the value on a Commanders’ upset on home soil at +250.

NE vs WSH pick: Commanders moneyline (+250)

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