By way of punishing opponents with its young up-and-coming defense, the Washington Football Team parlayed a 7-9 overall record into its third NFC East title since the turn of the century. Notable players gone from last year’s team include QB Alex Smith, LB Thomas Davis, longtime DE Ryan Kerrigan and CB Ronald Darby. While those are some big contributors from last year’s division winning team, upper management did a fine job finding their replacements in both free agency and the draft enough to the point that online sportsbooks currently have their season win total odds 3.5-games higher than a season ago. The Cowboys 9.5-game win total is tops in the NFC East, but Dallas is only lined the +126 favorite to win the division with the WFT right behind them +201. Keep in mind, no team has repeated as champs in the NFC East since the Eagles did so from 2001-04. It’s going to be interesting to see how this throw-back type team competes in this day and age of the NFL. Smashmouth football is more or less a thing of the past, but Ron Rivera is out to raise it from the ashes and get Washington back to the postseason once again.
Washington Football Team Season Win Total: 8.5 Over -112
Washington was the owner of a laughable five-game win total in 2020-21. Those that hit the under likely felt as if they were in the clear after the team only managed two wins through its first nine games. However, the switch finally flipped in Week 11 with a 20-9 skunking of the Cincinnati Bengals. From there, WFT would go on to win four of its final six games to punch a ticket to the playoffs for the first time since 2015. Though it would go on to fall to the eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card round, the experience is one many an NFL bettor is banking on makes this year’s squad even better in year two of the Rivera regime. The WFT’s win total initially hit the board at a flat eight, but has since been bet up to 8.5 regardless of the fact that the franchise has managed eight or more wins only once in the last eight seasons. Washington is 1-2-1 versus its win total the last four years.
NFL Regular Season Wins Odds at BookMaker
Washington Football Team Football Schedule
Week 1: Chargers at Washington, Sunday, September 12, 1 p.m. ET
Week 2: Giants at Washington, Thursday, September 16, 8:20 p.m. ET, NFL Network
Week 3: Washington at Bills, Sunday, September 26, 1 p.m. ET
Week 4: Washington at Falcons, Sunday, October 3, 1 p.m. ET
Week 5: Saints at Washington, Sunday, October 10, 1 p.m. ET
Week 6: Chiefs at Washington, Sunday, October 17, 1 p.m. ET
Week 7: Washington at Packers, Sunday, October 24, 1 p.m. ET
Week 8: Washington at Broncos, Sunday, October 31, 4:25 p.m. ET
Week 9: Bye Week
Week 10: Buccaneers at Washington, Sunday, November 14, 1 p.m. ET
Week 11: Washington at Panthers, Sunday, November 21, 1 p.m. ET
Week 12: Seahawks at Washington, Monday, November 29, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN
Week 13: Washington at Raiders, Sunday, December 5, 4:05 p.m. ET
Week 14: Cowboys at Washington, Sunday, December 12, 1 p.m. ET
Week 15: Washington at Eagles, Sunday, December 19, 1 p.m. ET
Week 16: Washington at Cowboys, Sunday, December 26, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
Week 17: Eagles at Washington, Sunday, January 2, 1 p.m. ET
Week 18: Washington at Giants, Sunday, January 9, 1 p.m. ET
Washington Football Team Season Win Total Analysis
Washington possesses one of the craziest schedules of any team. It’s first 12 games will come against one divisional opponent, the AFC West, NFC South, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks. It then closes out with five straight games against divisional opponents. The number crunchers at Sharp Football Stats have the WFT’s schedule strength clocking in as the fifth toughest in the league and absolute toughest in the division. On top of that, only eight of its 17 played games will come in the comforts of D.C. So why all the love for the Football Team?
You can’t help but think it comes in the form of ‘FitzMagic’ who will now be nestled in under center once Week 1 kicks off at home against the Los Angeles Chargers. While Smith was able to successfully navigate the offense last season, it didn’t do much of anything evidenced by it ranking out No. 30 overall and No. 25 in points scored. Ryan Fitzpatrick showed he could still excel with Miami last season, but Dolphins brass forced Tua Tagovailoa into action to start the clock on their No. 1 draft. His arm is readily able to stretch the field and get the ball in the hands of Terry McLaurin and company. If the passing attack takes off under Fitzpatrick, it will afford the WFT’s running game some breathing room with second-year running back Antonio Gibson likely to thrive running behind what could end up being one of the better offensive lines in the game.
The schedule is daunting without a doubt. However, the WFT impressed the heck out of me last season with its ability to play tough nosed defense No. 4, get after the quarterback No. 6 and force turnovers No. 8. Now a year wiser and with added reinforcements, Chase Young and company should be even better throughout 2021-22. Washington should be favored to win the NFC East in my opinion. That currently not being the case offers up some line value on the futures odds to win the division. I have Rivera’s squad scoring the most wins in divisional play, and I’m pretty sure they won’t secure back-to-back titles with seven wins this time around.
Washington Football Team Season Win Total Prediction: Over 8.5
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