Philadelphia (2-3) at NY Giants (1-4)
When: Thursday, October 11th 2018
Where: MetLife Stadium,
East Rutherford, New Jersey
Time: 8:20 ET | TV: FOX
Opening Odds: Philadelphia -2.5/45
Super Bowl hangovers are not that uncommon – unless you’re the New England Patriots – and the Philadelphia Eagles appear to be going through one of those right now. The defending Super Bowl Champions look to get back to the .500 mark when they visit NFC East-rival the New York Giants on Thursday night to kick off Week 6 action around the league. The Eagles steamrolled their way through the NFL last season, going 13-3 and scoring 24 points or more 12 times. They have already matched last season’s loss total and have yet to surpass 24 points through five games after last week’s 23-21 home loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The Giants scored a season-high 31 points on Sunday but lost in Carolina on a last-second 63-yard field goal to drop to 1-4. Eli Manning threw for 326 yards and two scores but was picked off twice. Superstar wide receiver Odell Beckham, who blamed Manning for the offense’s issues in an interview last week, had eight catches for 131 yards and his first TD of the year. The Eagles have won three straight in this series but all have been tight. Philly won 27-24 last year at home on a team-record 61-yard field goal from Jake Elliott as time expired then edged their rivals 34-29 behind four touchdown passes from Nick Foles in New Jersey. Philadelphia is 6-4 ATS in the past 10 meetings overall despite failing to cover both in 2017.
Philadelphia’s offense took a major hit over the weekend when it was revealed Monday that starting running back Jay Ajayi was lost for the season due to a torn ACL. While there’s still an option to get a replacement via trade, the Eagles will likely use the tandem of Wendell Smallwood and Corey Clement against a New York defense that ranks 27th against the run. Carson Wentz is looking better each week after offseason surgery and threw for 311 yards and two scores in the loss to Minnesota on Sunday. Tight end Zach Ertz caught 10 of those passes for 110 yards and a TD and has a team-leading 41 receptions. Philadelphia has the league’s No. 2-ranked rushing defense, surrendering just 66.4 yards per game and will go up against Saquon Barkley for the first of many encounters over the next decade.
Beckham not only had his best game of the year receiving, he got into the mix by throwing a 57-yard touchdown pass to Barkley, who can become the second player in league history to account for at least 100 yards from scrimmage in the first six games of his career. Manning had a season high with 434 yards passing in the 34-29 loss to Philadelphia in December, but has struggled at times this season. Linebacker Olivier Vernon could make his season debut Thursday for a defense that has a league-low 6.0 sacks.
The inability of New York to get pressure on the quarterback means Wentz is going to have a field day against the Giants. Even though Ajayi is out, I expect Smallwood and Clement to fill in admirably and help lead the Eagles to an easy victory.
Pick: Eagles -3
Betting Trends:
- Eagles are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games in October.
- Eagles are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 Thursday games.
- Eagles are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in Week 6.
- Eagles are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
- Eagles are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
- Eagles are 13-6 ATS in their last 19 vs. NFC.
- Eagles are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games on fieldturf.
- Eagles are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
- Eagles are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Eagles are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS loss.
- Eagles are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Eagles are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
- Giants are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game.
- Giants are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
- Giants are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games in October.
- Giants are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 Thursday games.
- Giants are 11-5-1 ATS in their last 17 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Giants are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games on fieldturf.
- Giants are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games.
- Giants are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
- Giants are 6-15 ATS in their last 21 games after allowing more than 30 points in their previous game.
- Giants are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 vs. NFC.
- Giants are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS win.
- Over is 4-0 in Eagles last 4 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
- Under is 5-1 in Eagles last 6 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
- Under is 5-1 in Eagles last 6 games following a ATS loss.
- Over is 11-3 in Eagles last 14 games on fieldturf.
- Over is 20-7 in Eagles last 27 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
- Over is 11-4 in Eagles last 15 vs. NFC East.
- Over is 19-7 in Eagles last 26 road games.
- Over is 8-3 in Eagles last 11 games after accumulating more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
- Over is 37-14 in Eagles last 51 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Over is 25-10 in Eagles last 35 vs. a team with a losing record.
- Over is 7-3 in Eagles last 10 Thursday games.
- Over is 28-12 in Eagles last 40 games following a straight up loss.
- Under is 5-0 in Giants last 5 games following a ATS win.
- Over is 4-0 in Giants last 4 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game.
- Under is 5-1 in Giants last 6 vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 5-1 in Giants last 6 home games.
- Over is 4-1 in Giants last 5 Thursday games.
- Under is 4-1 in Giants last 5 games on fieldturf.
- Under is 4-1 in Giants last 5 vs. NFC.
- Under is 4-1 in Giants last 5 vs. NFC East.
- Under is 4-1 in Giants last 5 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
- Under is 8-2 in Giants last 10 games after accumulating more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
- Under is 9-3 in Giants last 12 games overall.
- Under is 7-3 in Giants last 10 games following a straight up loss.
- Over is 6-0 in the last 6 meetings in New York.
- Over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings.
- Eagles are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 meetings in New York.
- Eagles are 13-6-1 ATS in their last 20 meetings.
