Seattle (11-5) at Philadelphia (9-7)
When: Sunday, January 5th, 2020
Where: Lincoln Financial Field,
Philadelphia, PA
Time: 4:40 ET | TV: FOX
Opening Odds: Seattle -1/46
Two teams battling through a slew of injuries will meet Sunday afternoon, as the Seattle Seahawks visit the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC Wild Card battle at Lincoln Financial Field. The final Wild Card this weekend in the NFL playoffs also features the only home underdog as the NFC East champion Eagles come in getting 1.5 points and the line is trending upward. Bovada Sportsbook is one of the few that have the game at Seattle -2.5 as of Thursday afternoon. Philadelphia won a Super Bowl following the 2017 regular season and were home underdogs the entire run behind backup Nick Foles and also won a road playoff game last year before falling in the Divisional Round at New Orleans. Current starting quarterback Carson Wentz has been on the team since 2016 but he was injured in both postseasons. Sunday against Seattle will be the former No. 2 overall pick’s first playoff start. He’ll be going up against playoff veteran and Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson. The Seahawks are the NFC’s top Wild-Card team but were about six inches from being the NFC West champions and the third seed with a home playoff game this weekend. Tight end Jacob Hollister was tackled about six inches shy of a last-second winning touchdown in a spectacular game Sunday night against the 49ers. On the bright side, the Seahawks won a franchise-record seven road games this season (5-2-1 ATS). Seattle leads the all-time series 10-7, but this will be the first meeting in the postseason. They met Week 12 in Philadelphia and the Seahawks won 17-9 with Rashaad Penny rushing for 129 yards, including a 58-yard touchdown. However, he has since been lost for the season. The favorite is 7-3 against the spread in the past 10 meetings and the under has cashed the past four.
Seattle is so decimated by injury at running back that it had to sign both ex-players Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin off the street last week. Lynch lit up the crowd with a one-yard dive into the end zone, but was more or less ineffective with 12 carries for 34 yards, while rookie sixth-rounder Travis Homer led the team with 62 yards. Wilson threw for 233 yards and two scores to finish the regular season with 31 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Linebacker Mychal Kendricks left in the third quarter with a torn ACL and is done for the season. Receiver Jaron Brown sprained his knee and won’t play Sunday. Safety Quandre Diggs missed Week 17 with an ankle injury but is likely to play. Left tackle Duane Brown also sat (knee) and isn’t expected vs. Philadelphia. Seattle’s defense allows 263.9 yards a game through the air – 27th in the league.
The Eagles are also hurting with seven injured starters on offense out last week and a few others on defense. Pro Bowlers Zack Ertz (TE) and right tackle Lane Johnson were among them. Rookie running back Miles Sanders and three-time Pro Bowl right guard Brandon Brooks left last week’s win at the New York Giants in the first half. Brooks will miss the rest of the season, while Ertz is questionable for this game. Philadelphia’s chances at a playoff spot looked all but dead when the team was upset in Miami in Week 13 to fall to 5-7, but the team hasn’t lost since. They claimed the NFC East title with a 34-17 victory in Week 17 at the New York Giants after beating the Cowboys the week prior. Former practice squad player Boston Scott ran for three second-half touchdowns and Wentz threw for 289 yards and a score. Wentz is the first QB in NFL history to record 4,000 passing yards without having a 500-yard receiver.
Both teams have injury issues, but Philadelphia’s appears more severe. Wentz has done a terrific job of getting Philly to the playoffs, but their last four victories came against teams that were a combined 19-45. Seattle has played its best football on the road this season including a Week 12 win here.
Pick: Seahawks -1.5 (Wild Card Staff Free Picks)
Seahawks are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 Wildcard games.
Seahawks are 10-3-2 ATS in their last 15 games following a ATS loss.
Seahawks are 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 road games.
Seahawks are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
Seahawks are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite.
Seahawks are 8-3-2 ATS in their last 13 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
Seahawks are 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 games on grass.
Seahawks are 21-8-2 ATS in their last 31 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Seahawks are 15-6-4 ATS in their last 25 games following a straight up loss.
Seahawks are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 playoff games.
Seahawks are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
Seahawks are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 vs. NFC.
Eagles are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games in January.
Eagles are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 playoff games.
Eagles are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 playoff games as an underdog.
Eagles are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games following a ATS win.
Eagles are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
Eagles are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Eagles are 5-12 ATS in their last 17 games as a home underdog.
Eagles are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
Over is 5-1 in Seahawks last 6 playoff road games.
Under is 8-2 in Seahawks last 10 games as a road favorite.
Over is 4-1 in Seahawks last 5 games in January.
Over is 4-1 in Seahawks last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Over is 7-2 in Seahawks last 9 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
Over is 7-2 in Seahawks last 9 playoff games.
Over is 7-2-1 in Seahawks last 10 vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 3-1-1 in Seahawks last 5 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
Over is 3-1-1 in Seahawks last 5 games following a ATS loss.
Under is 5-2 in Seahawks last 7 playoff games as a favorite.
Over is 13-6-1 in Seahawks last 20 vs. NFC.
Under is 8-1-1 in Eagles last 10 playoff home games.
Under is 11-2 in Eagles last 13 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Under is 5-1 in Eagles last 6 games as a home underdog.
Under is 5-1 in Eagles last 6 Wildcard games.
Under is 4-1 in Eagles last 5 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
Under is 4-1 in Eagles last 5 games as an underdog.
Under is 4-1 in Eagles last 5 games in January.
Under is 7-2 in Eagles last 9 games following a ATS win.
Under is 16-5 in Eagles last 21 home games.
Under is 6-2 in Eagles last 8 games after accumulating more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
Under is 6-2 in Eagles last 8 games on grass.
Over is 11-4 in Eagles last 15 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
Under is 8-3 in Eagles last 11 games following a straight up win.
Over is 5-2 in Eagles last 7 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
Under is 5-2 in Eagles last 7 playoff games.
Under is 5-2 in Eagles last 7 vs. NFC.
Under is 52-22 in Eagles last 74 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game.
Favorite is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 meetings.
Road team is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 meetings.
Seahawks are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings in Philadelphia.
Seahawks are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
