NFL Betting Odds: Eagles Land in Carolina
In the BetUS NFL betting odds, the Eagles are listed as a 1.5-point favorite, with a posted total of 43.5 points.
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Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup:
PHIL has won and covered six of its last eight games
PHIL has covered 12 of its last 17 road games
PHIL has played four of its last five road games UNDER the total
CAR has covered four of its last six games
CAR has won eight of its last 11 games SU
CAR has played six of its last eight games OVER the total 
CAR has covered eight of its last 12 home games
CAR has won eight of its last nine home games SU
CAR has played 12 of its last 16 home games UNDER the total
PHIL has won and covered four of its last six games
When last seen in a game that meant something, Jake Delhomme was throwing five interceptions in a playoff loss to the Arizona Cardinals, where the Panthers blew the game in the NFL betting odds, but he got himself a contract extension, so the Panthers don’t have much doubt that he can continue to do the job. Jonathan Stewart has an injury problem, as his Achilles has been bothering him, and right now there is some doubt as to whether he is going to be ready to play. DeAngelo Williams can take care of a lot himself, with 1515 yards, 5.5 yards per carry and 18 TD’s last season. An interesting recent pickup was Tyrell Sutton, who was fourth among running backs in yards gained in the pre-season, yet was cut by the Green Bay Packers.
Carolina, which finished 9-6-1 ATS in the NFL betting odds, was a contrast to Philadelphia in that it stood pat in the off-season, in fact losing a few key performers, and its best move was in figuring out a way to retain Julius Peppers, who had wanted out, putting a franchise tag on him. Meanwhile, the Eagles picked up a running back to give Bryan Westbrook more than just a breather (LeSean McCoy of Pitt), a strong blocking fullback in Leonard Weaver, a game-breaking receiver/return man in Jeremy Maclin, new offensive tackles in Stacy Andrews and Jason Peters, and cornerback Ellis Hobbs. Michael Vick also came aboard, but he is irrelevant for purposes of this game.
In the “devious” department, the Panthers released a linebacker named J Leman when the final cut-downs were announced, and he was scooped up by the Eagles right away. He’s on a spy mission, no doubt, to increase the Birds’ chances in the NFL betting odds.
What may not be measurable is the loss Philadelphia suffered just a month and a half ago, which was the death of defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, the architect of Philadelphia’s aggressive defensive strategy. Sean McDermott has come in to replace him. The schemes may remain, but not necessarily the instinct that Johnson had. Perhaps another loss we should mention is that of Brian Dawkins, who manned the free safety position. Dawkins was past his prime, no doubt, but his absence makes this team potentially vulnerable to Carolina’s Steve Smith, who is perhaps the most dangerous long-ball threat in the league.
You’ve got to spread things out a little more, though, and when it comes to evaluating the NFL betting odds we think Carolina may come up short. This Philadelphia team is loaded, and I’m thinking they should be a prime favorite to go to the Super Bowl. They’re no slouch on the road, either, and haven’t been for as long as Andy Reid has been at the helm. We’re moving with the Eagles, the 1.5-point favorite in the BetUS NFL betting odds.
OUR PLAY: PHILADELPHIA -1.5 ***
