The Washington Football Team will clinch the NFC East title with a win Sunday night at the Philadelphia Eagles, who have been eliminated from playoff contention. Yet Philly opened as a 1-point favourite on the NFL odds.

NFL Week 17 Point Spread and Betting Analysis

Washington will be the NFC East champion with a victory, which would be a massive surprise as not much was expected in 2020. Three award winners probably are going to come from that team: Quarterback Alex Smith as Comeback Player of the Year, defensive end Chase Young as Defensive Rookie of the Year, and Ron Rivera as Coach of the Year – it would be the third time Rivera would win it. He’s in his first season with Washington after being fired last season by Carolina.

As for Philadelphia, it has been a massively disappointing season and there are going to be plenty of changes this winter, perhaps with a new general manager and coach as well as a potential trade of one-time franchise quarterback Carson Wentz.

Philadelphia has won six of the past 10 in the series and the teams have split those against the spread. In the 2020 season opener, Washington was a 5.5-point home underdog but won 27-17. Wentz had two interceptions and a lost fumble in a performance that would foreshadow his season. Dwayne Haskins was at QB for Washington and didn’t do much but for a TD pass, but at least didn’t turn it over. Neither team even reached 270 yards of offence.

This game was flexed into the primetime window for Week 17.

Washington Football Team

Smith has missed the past two games due to injury and Washington has lost both, totaling just 28 points. The Football Team was a home favourite over Carolina on Sunday but upset 20-13. Haskins, a 2019 first-round pick, probably played his final game in a Washington uniform (he’ll be traded this offseason) as Haskins was pulled after completing just 14 of 28 for 154 yards and two picks as well as a lost fumble.

He also recently embarrassed the organization with something off the field (nothing illegal) so his time is up. Smith will start if healthy, and if not it will be relative unknown Taylor Heinicke, who was 12-for-19 for 137 yards and a TD in relief of Haskins on Sunday. Excellent rookie running back Antonio Gibson returned from a two-game injury absence and rushed for 61 yards. Young had a sack, two tackles for loss and a recovered fumble. He’s a beast. Washington is 5-1 ATS in its past six games.

Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia was eliminated from NFC East contention with a 37-17 loss in Dallas on Sunday. Rookie second-round QB Jalen Hurts did some good things in throwing for 342 yards and a score while rushing for 69 yards, but he was intercepted twice and fumbled twice, losing one. He’ll clearly get the start here and then the organization will start deciding whether the keep both Hurts and Wentz and let them battle for the top job in camp next summer or deal Wentz.

It’s probably more likely than not that Coach Doug Pederson is fired. If the Eagles win this game, the winner of an earlier Sunday matchup between the Cowboys and Giants from New Jersey would claim the NFC East. Philadelphia is 4-1 ATS in its past five at home.

NFL Prediction: Who Will Win Football Team vs. Eagles?