Five teams in the NFC have clinched playoff spots. Heading into Week 17, the NFC West remains the only division in the conference that’s left up for grabs. Meanwhile, in the NFC East, the Dallas Cowboys have clinched their division, but two other teams still have playoff hopes.
Let’s take a closer look at the top road favorites regarding NFL betting strategy this week.
Philadelphia Eagles (-4)
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 2nd
- Time: 1:00 PM EST on FOX
- Venue: FedExField in North Englewood, MD
- Participants: Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Football Team
These teams last met in Week 15, with the Eagles winning at home, 27-17.
The Eagles have won three games in a row, taking care of the New York Giants last week, 34-10. The Eagles scored 31 points in the second half.
Jalen Hurts threw for 199 yards on 17 completions with two touchdowns. The Eagles’ defense had two picks, one from Mike Glennon and one from Jake Fromm.
The WFT, however, lost to the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday night, 56-14.
Taylor Heinicke threw two interceptions and completed only 31.8% of his passes for a quarterback rating of 28.8. Kyle Allen took his place and completed eight out of ten throws for 67 yards and a touchdown. Heinicke gets the start this week against the Eagles.
The WFT has lost each of their last three games by an average of almost 20 points. In contrast, the Eagles have won each of their previous three matchups by an average of 16.33 points.
Philadelphia has averaged 31.3 PPG in their previous three games, the fourth-best in the NFL. Their defense has given up only 15 PPG in that span, while Washington has scored only 17 PPG.
In their last three matchups, the WFT has allowed 36.7 PPG. One of the reasons for Washington’s defensive struggles is their running game. Over the past three games, they’ve allowed 156 yards per game, which is the fourth-most in the league. Meanwhile, Philadelphia rushes for more yards per game than any other team (163.2). In the past three games, they’ve averaged 184.3.
I’d take the Eagles to cover on the road for my NFL betting strategy this week. Their top-ranked rushing attack should dominate early and have the WFT playing catch-up.
Los Angeles Rams (-3.5)
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 2nd
- Time: 1:00 PM EST on FOX
- Venue: M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD
- Participants: Los Angeles Rams and Baltimore Ravens
After losing four straight, Baltimore has dropped to the eighth seed in the AFC. They are now one game behind the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC North.
The Bengals won at home against the Ravens last week, 41-21. With Lamar Jackson and Taylor Huntley out, Josh Johnson got the start.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was the star of the game, throwing for 525 yards and four touchdowns against the Ravens.
The Rams are coming off a 30-23 road victory against the Minnesota Vikings. Matthew Stafford threw three interceptions, and Sony Michel amassed 131 rushing yards and one score.
Baltimore has given up 32 PPG in their previous three games, while Los Angeles averages 27.7 PPG this season.
The Rams have averaged 224.3 passing yards in their previous three matchups. The Ravens have given up 312.7 passing yards per game in that same span, and they’re last in the league in passing yards allowed per game.
Los Angeles has won each of their last three games by an average of eight points. The Ravens have lost three games by under three points during their four-game losing streak. One reason the Ravens are able to keep games close is because of their rushing attack, which helps them control the clock. For the season, they’re third in the NFL at time of possession (54.02%).
I expect Baltimore to keep this game close. While they may not win outright, I think their running game can help keep the Rams’ offense off the field. I’m not sure that they’ll cover, but in my opinion, they have a better chance than Philadelphia’s opponent.
NFL Betting: The Philadelphia Eagles Are My Top Road Favorite in Week 17
I’d pick the Philadelphia Eagles as my top road favorite for Week 17 NFL betting. They’ve won three straight while their opponent is on a three-game losing skid.
What do you think? Do you think the Eagles can win in Washington this week?
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