Patriots vs Commanders Game Preview and Free Pick

Two struggling teams, the Washington Commanders (3-5) and the New England Patriots (2-6), will be going up against each other for Week 9 of the 2023 NFL season on Sunday, November 5. Both teams desperately need to win and it is going to be quite the interesting face off. The Patriots are -3 at home and the total is 41 at SportsBetting.ag

The Commanders, standing at third in the NFC East, are coming off of a tough 38-31 loss against the Philadelphia Eagles. On the other side, the Patriots, dead last in the AFC East, also lost 31-17 against the Miami Dolphins in the Week 8 game.

Let us take a closer look at what the teams have been up to in the past few weeks.

Washington Commanders

The Commanders started off the 2023 season quite strong with two consecutive wins but now with five losses in the last six games, fans have very low expectations.

In their Week 8 game against the Eagles, quarterback Sam Howell got off to a good start, connecting with wide receivers Jahan Dotson and Terry McLaurin to get two touchdowns. Howell did quite well throughout, finishing with 39 of 52 passes for 397 yards against quite a good defense. It has been quite the struggle to protect the man, considering the fact that he has been sacked 41 times in just 8 games. McLaurin has also been doing quite well, being 5 yards away from 500 and also having two touchdowns so far in the season.

The Commanders’ defense, holding the Eagles to just 59 yards, did quite well in Week 8. Apart from a few destructive mistakes, the put up a really strong performance showing what they are truly capable of.

The Commanders have all the potential to win; they just have to find out what is going wrong for them and work on it so they can finally get the win they so desperately need.

New England Patriots

The Patriots have been nothing but disappointing in the 2023 NFL season. Their 2-6 record is proof of how underwhelming it has been for them.

Most of their downfall has been because of the constant struggles of quarterback Mac Jones. The player has thrown eight interceptions in the eight games up till now, with only nine touchdowns.

The other problem they are facing is the fact that they are just not able to run the football. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson has been ineffective on the field. Him and fellow running back Ezekiel Elliott have a combined total of just two touchdowns so far in the 2023 season.

What may happen in Week 9?

This Week 9 game is a crucial one for both teams. It is a little hard to believe that the New England Patriots may win especially after seeing that the Washington Commanders do in fact know how to move the football. If things remain the way they are, the Commanders take the win home. Take Washington plus the points. Its the safe bet.