by Is the term ‘lock’ overused? Yes. Am I a biased Eagles fan? Also, yes. Will Brady’s return to Foxborough be the lone bright spot for the Patriots on Sunday afternoon? You guessed it, yes.
The Patriots will honor their future Hall of Famer at halftime of Sunday’s game against the Eagles, but that is the only thing that New England fans should be looking forward to on the first Sunday of the NFL season.
Eagles Cover (-4.0) at New England
They say that you get three points in your favor just for being at home, so that would imply that the Eagles are actually a touchdown better than the Patriots. Philadelphia is the significantly better team and will win by at least the four points they need to cover.
Birds Thrive
The defending NFC champions will take the field Sunday, a roster arguably better than the one that faced off against the Kansas City Chiefs in February. On top of an upgraded roster, Jalen Hurts has improved every year since his freshman season at Alabama. Before a late-season injury last year, Hurts was the MVP front-runner, so even minimal improvement on his part could lead to a long day for the New England defense.
The Philadelphia defense was one of the best in the league last season, breaking the single-season team sack record. Key starters Javon Hargrave and C.J. Gardener Johnson, among others, have moved on, but GM Howie Roseman was able to retool this defense with several players drafted from the Georgia Bulldogs, including Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith. This new-look defense will rely heavily on the progression of second-year, and fellow Georgia Bulldogs, Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean as they again look to be one of the top units in the NFL.
Patriots Struggle
As for the Patriots offense, Mac Jones is a below-average to average NFL quarterback at best, and he will be tasked with trying to put up points with a middling core of wide receivers. Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliot provide an excellent 1-2 punch at the running back position, but it won’t be enough to keep pace with that Philadelphia offense. The Patriots have an actual offensive coordinator this year, in Bill O’Brien, who despite past success in New England, will not be able to replicate that success without Tom Brady under center. Look for the Patriots to struggle to put up points all day.
The Patriot defense has been one of the most successful units in the NFL under Bill Belichick, but sometimes the best defense is a competent offense. New England will be able to get stops on the defensive end, but without much help from the offense, they will get worn down by the dynamic Philadelphia offense.
Final Thoughts
With an improved Jalen Hurts at the helm, Philadelphia will come out hot. They will jump out to an early lead that will put New England in an uncomfortable position where they must rely on their passing game. The Eagles will put the game away with their elite rushing attack, behind the best offensive line in the league.
Final Score: Philadelphia 31, New England 17
*Disclaimer: These picks are just for fun and are not gambling advice
All odds are courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook, via ESPN