Patriots vs. Eagles Point Spread: NFL Pre-Season Week 2 Odds, Prediction
The Patriots are 1.5-point favourites on the NFL odds with a total of 38.5 points.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Nearly every game total went under in Week 1 of the preseason, but consider that any teams that plan to play their starters will almost surely play them the most in Week 2. Week 3 will be for mostly rookies/guys on the edge of the roster.
New England is 3-0 straight up and against the spread in its past three pre-season meetings vs. Philadelphia. The Pats hosted the most recent game in 2018 and won 37-20. Their last regular-season meeting was in 2019 and the Patriots won 17-10 in Philadelphia in a rematch of Super Bowl LII, which the Eagles won in an upset.
The Patriots are 47-36 all-time in pre-season games under Coach Bill Belichick. The Eagles are 0-1 under first-year coach Nick Sirianni. These teams are having joint practices leading up to Thursday’s game.
New England Patriots
The Patriots closed as 2-point home favourites in Week 1 of the pre-season last Thursday vs. Washington and won 22-13. The big story was the NFL debut of rookie first-round quarterback Mac Jones and he looked pretty good in a vanilla offence in completing 13 of 19 for 87 yards. Starter Cam Newton was 4-for-7 for 49 yards. Both Patriots touchdowns came with Brian Hoyer at quarterback in the fourth quarter. Newton played the opening two series and presumably that will be the same scenario here. Jones was seen wearing a brace on his left knee in practice this week but said he wasn’t hurt and just trying it out.
New England’s biggest bright spot from the first game was rookie running back Rhamondre Stevenson rushing for 127 yards and two scores, including the clinching 91-yard TD with about a minute left.
Philadelphia Eagles
New Eagles coach Nick Sirianni has yet to declare his regular-season starter at QB, but it will be shocking if it’s not Jalen Hurts. Philadelphia was -1 at home last Thursday and lost 24-16 to Pittsburgh despite leading 13-0 late in the second quarter. Hurts played two series and was a 3-for-7 for 54 yards, but his receivers dropped two passes. Veteran Joe Flacco was 10 of 17 for 178 yards and a TD as the No. 2. Third-stringer Nick Mullens was awful in completing 1-for-5 for 4 yards and two picks.
First-round rookie receiver DeVonta Smith didn’t play with a knee injury and originally was thought to miss the entire pre-season but is now being called day-to-day. Doubt the Eagles risk Thursday, however. This is Philly’s final home game until Week 2 of the regular season, so we’d imagine Sirianni really wants to win it.
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