The New England Patriots are coming off a narrow victory against the Buffalo Bills, yet the Vegas oddsmakers aren’t doubting their ability to take down the Washington Redskins. As of this posting, the Patriots are 15.5-point favorites against Washington. This is a large line, but New England is going to cover. If you’re looking to make some quick money, head on over to Mobile Bet and take the over.
New England Patriots Going to Cover Spread Against Washington Redskins
Hell hath no fury like a pissed off Tom Brady. Even though New England won in Week 4, Brady did not have a good game. The six-time Super Bowl champion struggled to move the ball and ultimately completed just 46% of his passes for 150 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception. This was one of the worst games of his career and Brady was visibly frustrated with his performance throughout the game.
For most 42-year old quarterbacks, a performance like this might signal the end. However, Tom Brady is not your average 42-year old quarterback. Through the first three weeks of the season, Brady was PFF’s top quarterback. Despite his advanced age, Brady is still able to play like one of the two or three best quarterbacks in the game. The reason Brady had such a bad game is that the Bills defense is one of the two or three best units in the league. They consistently applied pressure and didn’t allow any of his receivers to gain separation.
Historically speaking, you don’t want to be the team facing Tom Brady after a bad performance. It’s worth noting that Brady’s Week 4 dud against Buffalo came on the five-year anniversary of the 41-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs where Trent Dilfer famously declared that the Patriots “weren’t good anymore”. They followed that up with a 43-17 thrashing of the then-undefeated Cincinnati Bengals where Brady threw for 292 yards, two touchdowns, and no interception. In 2017, Brady didn’t play well in the season-opening loss to the Chiefs before dropping 447 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions against Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints. Last year, Brady followed up a 34-10 loss to Tennessee with a 283-yard, two-touchdown performance against the New York Jets.
The Redskins Are Bad
Some of the argument for taking the over is narrative-driven, which isn’t always the best gambling advice. There’s no denying that Brady and company won’t take the foot off the gas in Week 5, but theoretically, the Redskins could slow them down if they replicate Buffalo’s defensive gameplan. Unfortunately for Washington, they don’t have the pieces to do that.
The Redskins are one of the worst teams in the league by just about every measure. Josh Norman hasn’t played at a high level since 2015, and the rest of the defense lacks the necessary playmakers to apply consistent pressure to Tom Brady. Overall, the defense ranks just 26th in Football Outsiders DVOA metric. Brady should have all day in the pocket, and his receivers should be wide open throughout the contest.
The Patriots are going to put up points, and the Redskins don’t have the offensive weapons to keep up. The Patriots defense has yet to allow more than 10 points in any game, and Washington probably won’t be the team to break that trend. Terry McLaurin is questionable with a hip injury, and Dwayne Haskins did not look ready in his first NFL action. Washington’s only other options at quarterback are the underwhelming Case Keenum and maybe Colt McCoy, and neither player is capable of moving the ball against this defense.
This is going to be a blowout, so take the over and make some free money.
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