Tag: staff picks

Patriots Wire staff game picks and scores for Patriots vs. Rams

Patriots Wire staff make their official picks for Sunday’s Patriots-Rams game

The New England Patriots will be looking for their second straight win on Sunday when rolling out the red carpet at Gillette Stadium for the visiting Los Angeles Rams.

It was a sack party in “The Windy City” last week as the Patriots defense feasted on Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams in the pocket. They racked up nine sacks and 13 quarterback hits in a 19-3 upset win over the Bears at Soldier Field.

Meanwhile, the Rams fell short in a clash with the Miami Dolphins at home. Quarterback Matthew Stafford failed to throw a single touchdown pass, and the offense sputtered in a 23-15 loss.

Their playoff hopes are already dimming with a 4-5 record, and they can’t afford to drop another loss in Sunday’s matchup with the Patriots.

Can the Patriots’ defense continue to play at a high level with standout defensive tackle Christian Barmore set to return? How will rookie quarterback Drake Maye fare in his sixth NFL start?

Here’s the full round-up of Patriots Wire staff picks for the Week 11 matchup:

Jordy McElroy (4-6) – Patriots 24, Rams 20

Danny Jaillet (4-6) – Patriots 17, Rams 23

Cam Garrity (3-7) – Patriots 21, Rams 17

Who are you taking in Sunday’s game? Be sure and let us know who you’re picking and why.

You can find us on Facebook and Twitter.

Patriots Wire staff game picks and scores for Patriots vs. Bears

Patriots Wire staff make their official picks for Sunday’s Patriots-Bears game

It’ll be Drake Maye against Caleb Williams when the New England Patriots go on the road for a showdown on Sunday against the Chicago Bears.

The headliner for the game will involve the two rookie quarterbacks. This could be a preview of the future of the quarterback position in the NFL.

Both players have been served the daunting task of turning around two struggling franchises. Williams is clearly in a better situation with the many offensive weapons the Bears have at their disposal, while Maye was dropped off at ground zero of the Patriots’ rebuild.

The Bears are 4-4 on the season coming off back-to-back losses to the Arizona Cardinals and Washington Commanders. Meanwhile, the 2-7 Patriots dropped a heartbreaking 20-17 overtime loss to the Tennessee Titans last week.

Can they turn things around against a Bears team that has looked completely lost since their bye week? Here’s the full round-up of Patriots Wire staff picks for the Week 10 matchup:

Jordy McElroy (3-6) – Patriots 20, Bears 17

Danny Jaillet (3-6) – Patriots 24, Bears 13

Cam Garrity (3-6) – Patriots 24, Bears 21

Who are you taking in Sunday’s game? Be sure and let us know who you’re picking and why.

You can find us on Facebook and Twitter.

Patriots Wire staff game picks and scores for Patriots vs. Titans

Patriots Wire staff make their official picks for Sunday’s Patriots-Titans game

The New England Patriots will be looking for their second straight win in Sunday’s road matchup with the Tennessee Titans.

Both teams are riding the struggle-bus for different reasons. The Patriots are a rebuilding team with a rookie quarterback and multiple first-time coaches. Tennessee has a first-time head coach, like the Patriots, but their situation is more a case of injuries and questionable personnel decisions.

Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was initially listed as questionable to play in the game, but the rookie No. 3 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft cleared concussion protocol on Saturday. So he’ll be on the field against a Titans team with the No. 1-ranked passing defense in the NFL.

It could present an interesting challenge for a Patriots offense that has struggled throughout the season. Speaking of struggling, the Titans have the second-worst passing offense behind New England.

The worst part about that statistic is the fact that they don’t have a hot-shot young quarterback to help dig them out of the mud. It hasn’t been a great year for Will Levis up to this point. He’s currently listed as questionable to play with a shoulder injury.

The Titans might also be without their top-two running back options with Tony Pollard listed as questionable to play and Tyjae Spears already ruled out.

Here’s the full round-up of Patriots Wire staff picks for the Week 9 matchup:

Jordy McElroy (3-5) – Patriots 20, Titans 13

Danny Jaillet (3-5) – Patriots 17, Titans 13

Cam Garrity (3-5) – Patriots 24, Titans 12

Who are you taking in Sunday’s game? Be sure and let us know who you’re picking and why.

You can find us on Facebook and Twitter.

Patriots Wire staff game picks and scores for Patriots vs. Jets

Patriots Wire staff make their official picks for Sunday’s Patriots-Jets game

The New England Patriots hope to pull off a monumental upset on Sunday when going head-to-head with the New York Jets for a second time this season.

Nothing went right for the Patriots when these two teams last met in East Rutherford back in Week 3. The Patriots’ offense imploded on the road, and the defense was no match for legendary quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Jets’ explosive playmakers.

Rookie quarterback Drake Maye got his first taste of regular season action in the NFL in the first matchup against the Jets. However, this time, the No. 3 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft will be the starter.

There’s no question that Maye has given the offense a significant spark it didn’t have in the first meeting, but whether that’ll be enough to topple a desperate Jets team remains to be seen.

The Jets are coming off a 37-15 blowout loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, which now has them sitting at 2-5 on the season. Another loss would be devastating to their playoff hopes. But they’ll have the luxury of facing a 1-6 Patriots team coming off a 32-16 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Here’s the full round-up of Patriots Wire staff picks for the Week 8 matchup:

Jordy McElroy (3-4) – Patriots 24, Jets 27

Danny Jaillet (3-4) – Patriots 13, Jets 27

Cam Garrity (3-4) – Patriots 13, Jets 27

Who are you taking in Sunday’s game? Be sure and let us know who you’re picking and why.

You can find us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Patriots Wire staff game picks and scores for Patriots-Jaguars matchup

The Patriots Wire staff lock in their Week 7 picks

The New England Patriots will try to put an end to a five-game losing streak on Sunday when traveling to London for an AFC showdown with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

This will be a battle between two of the worst football teams in the NFL. Both are entering with 1-5 records and concerning problems on both sides of the ball.

The Jaguars are clearly underperforming with a talented roster and quarterback Trevor Lawrence under center. Meanwhile, the rebuilding Patriots are exactly where most expected them to be, minus the renewed upside from rookie Drake Maye taking the reins as the starting quarterback.

He threw for 243 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions against an elite Houston Texans defense last week. It was an impressive performance for a 22-year-old seeing the NFL field for the first time as a starter.

The hope is that he’ll be even better against a Jaguars defense allowing a league-worst 276.7 passing yards per game.

Here’s the full round-up of Patriots Wire staff picks for the Week 7 matchup:

Jordy McElroy (3-3) – Patriots 28, Jaguars 23

Danny Jaillet (3-3) – Patriots 23, Jaguars 13

Cam Garrity (3-3) – Patriots 28, Jaguars 6

Who are you taking in Sunday’s game? Be sure and let us know who you’re picking and why.

You can find us on Facebook and Twitter.

Commanders vs. Browns: Week 5 staff picks and predictions

Our picks are in for the Week 5 game between the Commanders and Browns.

Can the Washington Commanders (3-1) extend their three-game winning streak Sunday against the Cleveland Browns (1-3)?

Washington is favored against the Browns, who have lost two in a row in a battle of teams going in opposite directions. The two quarterbacks in this game mirror their teams. Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month and has looked unstoppable through four games.

Meanwhile, Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson can thank his contract for still being the Browns’ starter.

So, who wins?

It’s time for our weekly staff picks and predictions for Week 5.

Bryan Manning

It seemed like the odds were stacked against Washington last week against Arizona. A short week, a cross-country trip and a game against a competitive up-and-coming opponent. The Commanders defeated the Cardinals 42-14. What can they do for an encore? While I don’t think this one gets that out of hand, I believe Washington wins. The Commanders are the better team right now and have the better quarterback. Cleveland’s defense has yet to play at its 2023 level yet, and Washington’s offense is playing at an elite level.

Commanders 27, Browns 17

Ivan Lambert

The Commanders are facing a Browns team that, like the Giants, Bengals and Cardinals, all have only one win thus far. The Washington offense has been nothing less than terrific the last two weeks.

The Browns pass defense is 7th best in yards allowed per play and 4th in passing touchdowns allowed. However, defending the run, the Browns are not nearly as effective. They are 21st in yards allowed per rushing attempt and 20th in rushing defense efficiency.

Contrast that with the Commanders being 2nd in offensive rushing efficiency.

So, look for the Commanders plan, starting out, to run the ball often.

Commanders 24, Browns 17

Serena Burks

Jayden Daniels looks unstoppable as the Commanders prepare to host the Browns, and the Browns are struggling. I don’t expect this to be much of a contest, honestly. The Commanders will handle business on Sunday.

Commanders 42, Browns 10

Patriots Wire staff picks and scores for Dolphins-Patriots game

Patriots Wire staff predictions for Dolphins-Patriots game

The New England Patriots will open up the doors of Gillette Stadium for a head-to-head showdown with the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

There are reasons to be concerned for the Patriots, even against a Dolphins team missing its starting quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa.

Not only will the Patriots be entering the game with a banged-up offensive line, but there’s a chance they’ll also be missing both of their starting safeties, Jabrill Peppers and Kyle Dugger.

Peppers has already been ruled out for the game with a shoulder injury, while Kyle Dugger is listed as questionable on the injury report with an ankle injury. The possibility of both being out could open up opportunities for Dolphins backup quarterback Tyler Huntley to attack downfield with wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

There’s some potential good news offensively for the Patriots with veteran wide receiver Kendrick Bourne expected to return after being activated from the PUP list. Will that be enough for the Patriots to get back in the win column against the 1-3 Dolphins?

Here’s the full round-up of Patriots Wire staff picks for the Week 5 matchup:

Jordy McElroy (2-2) – Dolphins 13, Patriots 23

Danny Jaillet (2-2) – Dolphins 13, Patriots 16

Cam Garrity (2-2) – Dolphins 10, Patriots 17

Who are you taking in Sunday’s game? Be sure and let us know who you are picking and why.

You can find us on Facebook and Twitter.

Commanders vs. Cardinals: Week 4 staff picks and predictions

Our picks are in for Week 4.

The Washington Commanders (2-1) are back on the road in Week 4 against the Arizona Cardinals (1-2). After Monday night’s big win over the Cincinnati Bengals, Washington looks for its second consecutive win.

Last week, rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels completed 21 of 23 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 39 yards and a touchdown. That performance earned Daniels NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

If the Commanders hope to increase their winning streak to three games, Daniels will need some help from the defense. Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray is off to a fantastic start, too, with five touchdowns and only one interception through three games against a difficult schedule. Murray has also done his fair share of damage on the ground, rushing for 161 yards.

So, who do we think wins? It’s time for Commanders Wire’s staff predictions:

Bryan Manning

Conventional wisdom says the Commanders will struggle coming off a short week and the emotional high of Monday’s upset win. But who knows with this group? This isn’t the same Washington team, thanks to one person: Daniels.

The defense remains problematic. Why would we expect them to be able to get stops against Murray? Murray, like Daniels, is an electric dual-threat who’ll create headaches for the Commanders on the second level.

I think Sunday’s game will be a shootout. And I think it’ll be close. However, it’s difficult to believe Daniels can sustain his level of play from Monday’s game. Not many veteran superstars have games like that, much less rookie quarterbacks. This game will come down to the wire, but Arizona’s defense will make more plays, resulting in a close win.

Cardinals 31, Commanders 27

Ivan Lambert

Jayden Daniels is going to miss Austin Ekeler against the Cardinals on Sunday. Ekeler has been effective, averaging 6.38 yards on his 13 carries. Even more, he is averaging 13.44 yards on his nine receptions. His 62-yard kickoff last week to open the second half also led to a short-drive touchdown.

The Commanders are going to need to run the ball better this week. Besides the Ekeler first-half touchdown run, the Commanders could not get Brian Robinson going (16-33/ 2.06).

Defensively, the Commanders are by far the worst team in the NFL on 3rd downs. They must contain Kyler Murray in the pocket. He is just as dangerous with his feet as he is passing.

Marvin Harrison Jr. looks to pose a problem for the secondary, similar to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins last week.

Cardinals 34, Commanders 27

Patriots Wire staff game picks and scores for Patriots-49ers matchup

The Patriots Wire staff make their picks for Sunday’s Patriots-49ers game

The New England Patriots will look to avoid a third straight loss, following a 24-3 defeat at the hands of the New York Jets last Thursday. The schedule does not get any easier, as they take on the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

If there’s any silver lining for New England, it is that this is an undermanned 49ers team. Even though they’re both cleared to play in the game, quarterback Brock Purdy and tight end George Kittle have both been nursing injuries leading up to this matchup.

But the 49ers are missing running back Christian McCaffrey and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, while wideout Deebo Samuel and offensive tackle Trent Williams are questionable to play.

The Patriots are dealing with problems of their own. The offensive line is still a work in progress, and the unit gave up seven sacks against the Jets. They have struggled to protect quarterback Jacoby Brissett in the first three games of the season. That has led to issues overall with the entire offensive unit.

They currently rank last in the league in total offense with an average of 246.3 total yards per game.

The Patriots offense especially looked stagnant in the last two games, and now, they’re going up against a 49ers defense that allows 321.7 yards per game. They are tied with the Patriots with eight sacks on the season.

The 49ers are coming off a disappointing 27-24 loss to the Los Angeles Rams last Sunday. New England needs a bounce-back victory to get back to a .500 win percentage on the season.

Will Sunday’s performance be a gritty effort like we saw from the Patriots in their season-opening upset win over the Cincinnati Bengals? Or, will the offense sputter like we’ve seen against the Jets and Seattle Seahawks?

Here’s the full round-up of Patriots Wire staff picks for the Week 4 matchup:

Jordy McElroy (1-2) – Patriots 16, 49ers 24

Danny Jaillet (1-2) – Patriots 27, 49ers 10

Cam Garrity (1-2) – Patriots 33, 49ers 23

Who are you taking in Sunday’s game? Be sure and let us know who you are picking and why.

You can find us on Facebook and Twitter.

Patriots Wire staff game picks and scores for Patriots-Jets matchup

The Patriots Wire staff make their game picks for Thursday’s Patriots-Jets game

After dropping a 23-20 overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks, the New England Patriots will try to avoid a second straight loss in Thursday’s road trip to MetLife Stadium to take on the New York Jets.

This Jets team is much different than the ones the Patriots typically beat up on every season. They have one of the best defenses in the NFL, and on offense, they have one of the top-10 greatest quarterbacks of all time, Aaron Rodgers, running the show.

That doesn’t mean the Jets aren’t flawed. They got pounded by the San Francisco 49ers in the regular season opener and fought tooth-and-nail to earn a win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 2.

Regardless, they’re still a better team on paper than the rebuilding Patriots. The offense in New England is a mess right now, and the defense has been battling injuries. They have arguably the worst offensive line in the league, and they’re coming off a game where their receiving corps combined for three catches and 19 yards in total.

Yet, somehow, they still hung around and gave themselves every opportunity to beat the Seahawks last week after upsetting the Cincinnati Bengals in the opener. The Patriots are a resilient team overachieving in games. Will Thursday’s matchup be another example of that?

Here’s the full round-up of Patriots Wire staff picks for the Week 3 matchup:

Jordy McElroy (0-2) – Patriots 17, Jets 27

Danny Jaillet (0-2) – Patriots 13, Jets 24

Cam Garrity (0-2) – Patriots 17, Jets 31

Who are you taking in Thursday’s game? Be sure and let us know who you’re picking and why.

You can find us on Facebook and Twitter.