The Redskins won't win it, but their defense will help keep them within the spread. Take the bushel of points and Washington Sunday afternoon vs. the New England Patriots.
There is little doubt that New England has been the league's best team in the first two months of the season. The Patriots have won each of their seven games by at least 17 points.
However, the Patriots' last four wins have come against Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas and Miami. The Browns, Bengals and Dolphins are the bottom three teams in the NFL in scoring defense. New England leads the league in almost every offensive category while Washington ranks third in scoring defense and is fifth in total defense and eighth in passing defense.
Any chance the Redskins have at handing the Patriots their first loss likely depends on their defense because Washington is 25th in total offense and has scored more than 30 points just once this season. New England could very well run the table this year, but covering every game? I don’t think so. Look for Washington to keep it within 17 points in a low scoring game.
Free Pick: Redskins +16½