NFL Free Pick – Eagles vs Seahawks
Thursday night Football comes to the Pacific Northwest this week as the reeling Philadelphia Eagles, losers of three of their last four games, take on the improving Seattle Seahawks who have won two of three.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (4-7) vs. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (4-7)
Date/Time: Thursday, December 1, 8:20 PM ET
Venue: CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington
Broadcast: NFLN
Eagles vs. Seahawks Betting Lines from betonline.com
Spread: Eagles -2 ½
Moneyline: Eagles -150: Seahawks +130
Over/Under: 44 ½ points
Both teams are essentially out of the NFC playoff race but each have things to prove as the season winds down.
The most disappointing team of the season pays a visit to Seattle on Thursday night. The Philadelphia Eagles are inexplicably 4-7 and are the picture of dysfunction. They are banged up, they are playing poorly and the coaches can’t seem to get along. Ahhhh – the City of Brotherly Love isn’t looking so Brotherly at the moment.
The Eagles bring their 10th ranked passing game to town on Thursday (260.73 yards per game) on the heels of a 400 yard effort from Vince Young on Sunday. Vince Young will get the start again this week as Michael Vick continues to recover from broken ribs. Jeremy Maclin is also in danger of missing Thursday as well – thank goodness for Jason Avant and Riley Cooper. DeSean Jackson will play despite being benched on Sunday on an Eagles team that looks like they’ve checked out on this season.
Philadelphia has the leading rusher in the NFL although last Sunday’s game was no indication of what this guy can do. He has rushed for 1050 yards this season and has 13 total touchdowns (11 rushing). The Hawks’ good run defense will be in for a tough test against an Eagles rushing attack that the coaches have vowed will be more involved this week.
Phili’s defense is surprisingly a middle of the pack unit – 16th against the pass and 15th against the run. The may be without Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie this week – he is nursing his own injury and is highly questionable to play.
The Seattle Seahawks let another one slip away in Week 12 – 16 unanswered points with 12 minutes left in the game sunk them to 2-3 SU at home on the season. Despite the loss, Seattle has proven competitive to say the least in the last six weeks with wins over the Giants, the Ravens and the Rams. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Seattle’s offense has been the Marshawn Lynch show. Lynch was money again on Sunday at home against the Redskins – 111 yards on the ground and he added a 20-yard touchdown reception. Lynch now has three 100+ yard games in his last four games and he has scored a touchdown in seven straight. He and the Hawks 27th ranked rush offense figure to be a huge part of the game plan against Philadelphia on Thursday.
Lynch’s role becomes even bigger with Seattle’s 25th ranked passing game likely having to operate without Sidney Rice who sustained a concussion against Washington. Mike Williams, Doug Baldwin and Ben Obomanu on paper are a mismatch for the Eagles secondary. But as we’ve seen this season, they are an adequate receiving corp. Tarvaris Jackson hasn’t been great this season but he hasn’t been horrendous either.
Seattle’s defense suffered a major letdown last week in the fourth quarter but they are decent for the most part. The Hawks rank 21st versus the pass and 11th against the run. They may be forced to play without arguably their best linebacker this week – David Hawthorne suffered a knee injury in Week 12.
Betting Prediction: The Philadelphia Eagles are 4-10 SU and ATS in their last 14 games but they are 5-2 SU in their last seven on the road. The Eagles are 4-1 SU in their last five trips to Seattle. The Seattle Seahawks are 6-2-1 ATS in their last nine games but are just 2-4 SU in their last six. The Hawks are 5-1 ATS in their last six games versus NFC teams, are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games at home but are just 2-4 ATS in their last six home games versus Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Eagles certainly are not who we thought they were. They are talented but dysfunctional while the Hawks are less talented but play with heart and passion. In one of the toughest buildings in the NFL to play in, expect the dysfunction to continue and the heart to win out over talent. It’s gonna be loud in Seattle – I hope the Eagles are prepared!
Pick: Seattle Seahawks +2 ½
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