The accolades are one thing. The wagers are another.
Eagles bettors have much to ponder before the 11-1 Birds invade the desperate 7-4-1 New York Giants at -6.5. That’s especially noteworthy because the Giants have won the last two meetings between these teams at Met Life Stadium.
NFC East division games are always tough, but the Eagles have been on another level this year. Giving almost a touchdown on the road to a seven-win team indicates that.
If they were going to have a tough stretch, however, this is it. Three consecutive road games against the Giants, Chicago Bears, and Dallas Cowboys.
Betting Perspectives This Week
Handicapping the Rain
Showers are expected, but how much and when remains to be determined. That’s a Sunday forecast for gamblers.
If bettors consider the rain prominent, one consideration will be to tease the over-under total from 44.5 to 50.5, take the under and link it with another couple of picks in a parlay.
If the rain is considered light, and a mere nuisance, gamblers may take a standard betting approach.
Touchdown Scorers
- Jalen Hurts has paid well throughout the year as a first-time and anytime touchdown scorer.
- It’s always good to back up any first-time TD bet with an anytime tally because several variables affect who scores first.
- Miles Sanders, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are scoring machines.
- Quez Watkins is an under-the-radar wild card.
You rarely take multiple selections for a first-time scorer, but you can for anytime tallies.
- Hurts is +105 to score anytime and +750 to score first at DraftKings.
- Sanders is +115 and +800.
- Smith is +170 and +1100
- Brown is +115 and +800
- Watkins is +390 and +2200
New York Giants touchdown threats include Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley and Darius Slayton.
- Barkley is -110 to score and +750 to tally the first touchdown.
- Jones is +270 and +2000.
- Slayton is +370 and+2200
Betting considerations if one expects an Eagles rout:
Props rarely repeat week to week. DraftKings has a tantalizing wager for Hurts to surpass 300 yards and rush for a touchdown. He did that last week. Repeats are not likely and the price of +330 seems too short, especially in bad weather.
But some bettors may like this.
Pass Yardage Props
- For the Birds, Brown has a target of 71. 5 yards. He is on fire and can easily reach that. Smith can also surpass 58.5 yards depending on the flow of the game.
- The Eagles have done a good job keeping them both in the mix. Although Brown had a huge revenge game against the Titans last week, Smith scored the first touchdown.
Birds bettors know that the tandem each surpassed 100 yards in the 35-10 pasting of the Tennessee Titans. And that it’s the first time the Birds did that since DeSean Jackson and Riley Cooper reached that milestone in 2013.
How are the gamblers going to wager into it?
The lowered expectations built into these props may entice some bettors.
The Giants are in the lower middle pack of NFL pass defense, allowing 218 yards per game. This suggests that Brown or Smith could go off, but not both.
Passing Props – Giants
Completions:
Daniel Jones has an over-under of 18.5. He was 25-31 in last week’s 20-20 tie against the Washington Commanders. The Giants fell behind 10-0, Jones was forced to pass and he hit his Over prop by tossing many short completions.
One exception was a 55-yard strike to Darius Slayton, who has a numerical target on his back this week. Slayton has an over-under prop of 46.5 yards, which is reachable. He is the Giants’ most gifted receiver and Jones targeted him eight times last week.
This one could come in. But if he’s covered by Darius Slay and this is Slay versus Slayton, that’s a much harder task.
The Eagles have the league’s best defense against the pass, yielding only 178 yards per game. Jones could have his hands full.
Ideally, the Giants will try to pound the rock with Barkley and try to shorten the game. Yet the Birds just held Derrick Henry to 30 yards last week.
Hidden Values?
Birds bettors know how Jones has ripped off some monster runs against them. He fakes a handoff, hits a seam and darts left. Since being injured a couple of years ago, Jones rarely uses this play but it would only take one to hit a prop of Jones’ longest rush being more than 12.5 yards.
On the flip side, can Sanders get more than 6.5 yards receiving? The Eagles rarely target him but he did catch two passes for 14 yards last week. That would be enough to satisfy this prop.
How To Get in On the Action Right Away
First Score: EAGLES
- Eagles Touchdown +160
- Eagles Field Goal +295
- Eagles Safety +7500
First Score: GIANTS
- Giants touchdown +300
- Giants Field Goal +400
- Giants Safety +6500
Good Luck, Birds Bettors.
There is an extensive menu to choose from.
