National NFL Analysts Love the Eagles This Week

We’re not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad omen, but NFL analysts nationwide seem to love the Eagles to beat the Packers this week. (And, for our fellow degenerate gamblers, to cover the spread as well.)

Speaking of gambling, how about FanDuel taking a $370 million hit because folks won too much money during the NFL season? We are laughing.

But hopefully you didn’t bet on the Flyers Tuesday night.

Let’s discuss it all.

In the email today:

• 👀 What They’re Saying About Eagles / Packers

• 🇨🇦 Konecny Scores Twice as Flyers Again Lose Close to Leafs

• 💰️ FanDuel Took a $370 Hit on Projected Revenues Because NFL Favorites Kept Winning

  • 📆 This Day in Philly Sports History

  • 📊 Poll

  • 🔗 Links

  • 📺 Coming Up

The best Eagles coverage is always local, but it's helpful to get a national perspective as well.

Here's what they're saying about your Birds chances against the Packers this week.

From Sporting News: Eagles 28 - Packers 24

“We're going to assume Jalen Hurts (concussion) and Jordan Love (elbow) are a go and will adjust this prediction accordingly if that changes. The Packers limped into the playoffs with a two-game losing streak. Saquon Barkley had 132 total yards and three TDs in the Week 1 matchup between these teams in Brazil, and Hurts had 278 passing yards and two TDs. The Eagles had three turnovers and still won the game.

“"Green Bay will give Josh Jacobs 20-plus carries here, and it's worth knowing Love did not have an interception in his past seven games. Can the Packers get enough splash plays on offense to pull another wild-card upset against a NFC East team? Barkley will be the X-factor here. The Packers' past three playoff losses under Matt LaFleuer are by five points or less."

From The Arizona Republic: Eagles 27 - Packers 20

“The Packers went 11-6 on the season, yet landed the final NFC playoff berth because they were the third wild-card team. Their reward? A date against the 14-3 Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field, a difficult road environment. Green Bay opened the season with a 34-29 loss to the Eagles in Brazil. They'll close it with a loss in Philadelphia."

From Sportsnaut: Eagles 31 - Packers 24

"It’s hardly worth revisiting the last matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles, a 34-29 final on an awful field in Brazil. The Eagles have fielded the best defense in the NFL since November and they have both the talent and depth in the secondary to match up in man coverage versus Green Bay’s young receiving corps. Just as important, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is the perfect play-caller to dial up looks and pressure that will force at least one Jordan Love turnover.

"On the other side of the ball, the Packers’ pass rush simply isn’t good enough. Jalen Hurts is going to have time to throw, making this an even better matchup for A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. While we do expect Green Bay to keep it close for three quarters, a late turnover and the lack of a pass rush doom the Packers in front of a raucous crowd in Philadelphia."

From Bookies.com: Eagles to cover 3.5 point spread (Consensus spread is 4.5 as of late Jan. 7)

"These teams met in Game 2 of the NFL season. It ended with the Eagles claiming a 34-29 win in Brazil. Saquon Barkley put the NFL on notice this would be a special season for him as he scored 3 TDs. The Eagles sat their regulars in Week 18 and are expected to be fully healthy. The Packers lost TE Christian Watson in their Week 18 for the postseason and QB Jordan Love injured his elbow. The Eagles will be happy to keep the ball on the ground here and away from Love. After losing the Super Bowl 2 years ago, Jalen Hurts & Company is in 'Title Or Bust' mode. Look for Philly to control this one on both sides of the ball.”

For the second time in three nights, the hanging-around-.500 Flyers took on the Atlantic Division-leading Toronto Maple Leafs and did not blink.

But despite two more goals from Travis Konecny, the Flyers ended up with the same final score last night as they got in Toronto on Sunday.

Maybe the fans in attendance were still thawing out from their miserably cold walks in from the parking lots. Maybe it’s just how interminable the NHL season can be.

Whatever the reason, Joel Farabee (not known for throwing hands) took it upon himself to try to inject some life in a quiet Wells Fargo Center in the first period.

When the Flyers weren’t hitting the Leafs (with fists or high sticks), they were unfortunately and somewhat embarrassingly putting hits on each other.

Thankfully Laughton and MIchkov were back in action before the game ended.

The Flyers had a late power play, but the Flyers (0-4 on the man advantage on the night) gave the extra man right back with 11 ticks left, and the Leafs survived.

So another non-existent moral victory for the Orange and Black. They’re back on home ice against the Dallas Stars tomorrow night.

“The house always wins,” they say about gambling. “They don’t build those casinos because gamblers are winning.”

Over the long run, this is indisputable. What keeps gamblers playing, of course, are the short runs where the house’s inherent edge is undone by events beyond its control.

Events like the 2024 NFL regular season:

From the above story:

We love so many parts of this item, but this is probably our favorite detail: FanDuel noted that a lot of their misfortune came from “NFL parlay and same-game parlay outcomes.”

Wow…what a shame.

Have you ever noticed that basically every sports betting commercial pushes parlay action like a dealer waving drugs around in an open-air market? Did you ever stop to think about why?

There are two significant problems with parlays for bettors: 1. Hitting all the legs is hard, and; 2. Way too often, the odds offered on a parlay are far worse than their actual likelihood to hit.

This NFL regular season, though, with seven teams winning 12 or more games, even a gullible public didn’t struggle too hard to put together, say, a Chiefs/Bills/Eagles parlay.

Even the same-game parlays were easier to hit. For example, as an Eagles fan, any ticket with a Jalen Hurts anytime touchdown and Saquon Barkley rushing for more than 70 yards or so (linked to an Eagles win) was almost safer than buying stock.

We won’t cry for FanDuel or any of the other sports gambling sites. As seen above, FanDuel is still plenty profitable…it just made less money than expected this year.

You hate to see it.

📆 This Day in Philly Sports History

On January 8, 2023, Jalen Hurts returned from a shoulder injury as the Eagles beat the Giants, 22-16. The victory gave the Birds 14 regular season wins for the first time in franchise history and earned them the NFC’s top playoff seed.

📊 Poll

Results from Tuesday:

🔗 Links

• ⚾️ Kate Upton’s husband is returning for his 20th Major League season, having signed with the San Francisco Giants.

• 🙄 Joel Embiid and Paul George will miss out on the Wizards’ visit tomorrow night.

• 🤠 The Dallas Cowboys declined the Chicago Bears’ request to interview Mike McCarthy.

• 🥔 Boise State standout Ashton Jeanty declared for the NFL Draft.

• 🎙️ Katie Nolan, who walked so Kay Adams could run, announced that she has a new podcast on Sirius.

📺 Coming Up

Games before our next send.

Wednesday, January 8, 2025

• Sixers vs. Wizards, 7:00 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia)

Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow.

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