In Week 15, two NFC East rivals will compete at Lincoln Financial Field. The Philadelphia Eagles (6-7) will host the Washington Football Team (6-7).
According to the opening NFL betting lines, the WFT is a +4.5 underdog this week. So let’s take a look at the top wagers for the Washington Football Team at Eagles.
Washington Football Team (+165) at Eagles (-200)
Last week, the WFT lost a challenging game at home against the Dallas Cowboys. The game’s big story in Week 14 came from the Cowboys’ defense, which had five sacks against Washington and forced four turnovers. As a result, Dallas went into halftime with a 24-0 lead and won 27-20.
Taylor Heinicke, who had played well in the previous four games, had a challenging game on Sunday. He had one touchdown throw in the third quarter when he launched a 43-yard touchdown pass after spinning out of the pocket. He then converted the two-point conversion. But, other than this play, there were few bright spots for Heinicke.
He left the game in the fourth quarter after getting sacked, but he’s expected to start this week pending the results of an MRI.
Philadelphia is 0-2 in the NFC East, but this will be their first home game against a divisional opponent. They’ve averaged 26.6 points in their last three games and 29 in their previous three home matchups. Washington has averaged 18 points in their last three games and last three road contests.
I believe that red zone scoring will be the deciding factor in this game. Philadelphia’s first-ranked running game (160 yards per game) has helped them convert 63.6% of their red zone trips into touchdowns (7th), while Washington only converts on 50% of their trips. For that reason, I believe that the Eagles at -200 is the much safer bet.
WFT (+4.5)
Philadelphia’s money line might be the safest bet for this game, but does that mean that the Eagles will cover? The WFT has given up an average of 24.9 points per road game this season, but their defense has improved since Week 8. For their past three road games, they’ve only given up an average of 17.6 points. Since Week 8, they’ve only given up 19 points per game.
While Heinicke didn’t have a great game last week, he’s still thrown eight touchdowns and only three interceptions in his previous five games. Washington’s defense has played well enough to keep them in games as long as the offense protects the football. Philadelphia averages one takeaway a game, which is tied for 25th in the NFL, so I don’t think that turnovers will be an issue in this game. I think the Eagles will win this game outright, but I also believe Washington will keep this game close.
Under (43.5)
Philadelphia has hit the over in five of their last seven games. The Eagles have averaged 26.5 points in their previous five games, while Washington has averaged 22. Given those numbers, taking the over would seem like the best bet, but as I mentioned earlier, Washington’s defense has improved over the past five games. Philadelphia’s defense has also improved over that time.
On defense, Philadelphia has given up an average of 20 points in the past five games, while Washington has given up an average of 19.4. More importantly, Washington is very good at stopping Philadelphia’s strength. Philly is number one in the NFL at running the football (160 yards per game). Meanwhile, Washington allows the fifth-fewest rushing yards per game (93.6).
The Eagles rank 12th in running defense (109.4 yards per game) and 11th in passing yards allowed (227.1).
I expect this to be a low-scoring game, with Philadelphia winning 20-17.
Washington Football Team at Eagles
What do you think? Which bets do you prefer for the Washington Football Team at Eagles in Week 15?
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