Washington Commanders vs New England Patriots Prediction 8/8/2025 Today’s NFL Picks

The Washington Commanders and the New England Patriots meet in week 1 NFL Preseason action from Gillette Stadium on Friday night. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Washington Commanders vs. New England Patriots prediction.

Washington Commanders Team Preview

The Washington Commanders enter 2025 after a shocking 12-5 campaign – their best since 1991 – that culminated in an NFC Championship Game appearance, the franchise’s first since that same year. Under first-year head coach Dan Quinn, Washington put together a dramatic turnaround from a 4-13 record in 2023 as rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 draft, emerged as a cornerstone for the franchise going forward. Washington upset the top-seeded Detroit Lions in the playoffs before falling to the Philadelphia Eagles in the conference title game. This offseason, second-year general manager Adam Peters continued reshaping the roster on offense. The Commanders traded for All-Pro receiver Deebo Samuel and Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil, also using their first-round pick on tackle Josh Conerly Jr. to strengthen the offensive line. They added veteran wideout Michael Gallup while parting with several receivers, including Dyami Brown and Jamison Crowder. Daniels returns as the starting quarterback, supported by power back Brian Robinson Jr., who rushed for nearly 800 yards last season, and veteran Austin Ekeler. Pro Bowl wideout Terry McLaurin remains a top target alongside Samuel. On defense, Washington lost long-time defensive tackle Jonathan Allen but added former first-round pick Javon Kinlaw to reinforce the interior. The team also replaced departed corner Benjamin St-Juste with veteran Jonathan Jones and second-round draft pick Trey Amos in the secondary. With upgrades on both sides of the ball and growing confidence in the quarterback position, Washington hopes that the 2024 season was a sign of things to come and not a flash in the pan.

New England Patriots Team Preview

The New England Patriots come into the 2025 season following a dismal 4-13 campaign in 2024 – the franchise’s worst in over 30 years and a third straight season without a playoff berth. The Patriots forge ahead in a new direction under a new voice under head coach Mike Vrabel. Vrabel replaced Jerod Mayo, who was fired after one season, and brought back Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator with Terrell Williams as defensive coordinator. Second-year quarterback Drake Maye, the No. 3 overall pick in 2024, now leads the offense after enduring rookie growing pains. To help Maye, the Pats made a splash by signing star wideout Stefon Diggs in free agency, though Diggs is returning from a significant ACL injury. They also drafted tackle Will Campbell fourth overall and running back TreVeyon Henderson in Round 2 to bolster an offense that ranked near the bottom of the league. Longtime center David Andrews retired, but New England signed veteran center Garrett Bradbury to help fortify the line alongside Campbell. Rhamondre Stevenson remains the lead back in the rushing attack. Defensively, New England parted with stalwarts like linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley (released) and Pro Bowl pass rusher Matthew Judon (traded midseason). The team added edge rusher Harold Landry III and cornerback Carlton Davis III as headline acquisitions, alongside linebacker Robert Spillane and defensive tackle Milton Williams. Safety Kyle Dugger and former first-round corner Christian Gonzalez return as key returning pieces in a unit hoping to rebound under Vrabel’s aggressive style in 2025.

Washington Commanders vs. New England Patriots Prediction

I’m leaning towards the over here. I think Vrabel will give his starters some playing time, but while we likely see depth pieces for the commanders, there’s still some solid depth behind the first stringers and this just feels like a little bit of a low total, even for the preseason. It’ll be interesting to see how these two progress going forward, but I think we get some points in this one. Give me the over.