Packers face Patriots in Week 9 clash of two 5-3 teams
New England is favored by three points at Gillette Stadium as both quarterbacks look to sustain their recent scoring surges.
By Ethan Cook ·
Football fans in Foxborough will see two teams with identical five-win, three-loss records collide at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday. The New England Patriots host the Green Bay Packers in a Week 9 matchup that pits a rested visiting squad against a home team seeking to maintain its recent momentum. The game offers a direct comparison of two quarterbacks who have found their stride after slow starts.
The betting markets view New England as the slight favorite. DraftKings lists the Patriots as 3-point home dogs, while the total points line sits at 46.5. This setting reflects the statistical trends of both squads over the past several weeks. The Packers have kept the total under the number in six of their eight games. Conversely, five of the Patriots' eight contests have gone over the total, suggesting a potentially high-scoring affair despite the modest point spread.
Green Bay enters the game with a strong defensive performance behind them. In their Week 8 victory over the Panthers on Thursday, the Packers sacked Carolina quarterback Bryce Young six times. The defense has allowed fewer than 21 points in each of the last five games. Offensively, Jordan Love threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns. He is supported by a receiving corps that includes Christian Watson, who played through a broken rib to gain 113 yards, and Matthew Golden, who added 79 yards and a score.
New England has found its offensive rhythm since Week 4. Drake Maye, the 2025 MVP runner-up, has thrown 14 touchdown passes in his last five games while averaging 279.6 yards per attempt. His accuracy has improved markedly, with only two interceptions in that span compared to six in the first three weeks of the season. The Patriots are 3-0 at home and 9-3 at Gillette Stadium since the start of last season. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson has also been a steady presence, totaling 579 yards and three touchdowns on the season.
The head-to-head history is recent and competitive. The teams last met in 2022, when the Packers won 27-24 in overtime at Lambeau Field. That victory was the first meeting between the two franchises since the Packers defeated New England in the Super Bowl following the 1996 season. The Patriots won three of the previous four matchups before that loss, indicating a history of tight contests.
SportsLine expert R.J. White backs the Packers to cover the spread. He noted that the Patriots' offensive surge has coincided with weaker defensive opponents. White argues that if Love can succeed against a defense that allowed 26 or more points to the Jaguars, Bills, and Bears, Green Bay has a path to victory. The SportsLine projection model simulates the game 10,000 times and has the Packers winning 49% of the time and covering the spread in 53% of simulations.
Both teams have specific strengths that will dictate the game's flow. The Patriots lead the league in pressure, with 22 sacks and linebacker Elijah Ponder accounting for six. The Packers, meanwhile, have been more consistent on defense. The outcome will likely depend on which quarterback handles the other team's pass rush more effectively. The kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium.
