- Friday, April 26, 2024
By: Eastern Eye Staff
NFL pre-season predictions arrive in abundance each year. Still, I can guarantee that almost nobody anticipated we’d be looking at the Philadelphia Eagles and the Miami Dolphins as the only undefeated teams three weeks into the 2022/23 football schedule.
OK, perhaps a handful of psychopaths made this prediction. But I know there isn’t more than a handful of you that anticipated this outcome.
Untouched
And here we are after three weeks, looking at the Eagles and the Dolphins, who’re both 3-0 and topping the NFL power rankings throughout the country. That said, the Eagles have notably delivered greater performances than their 3-0 counterparts. Philly has blown out three elite teams to earn a No.1 power ranking in most critics’ evaluations.
Simply put, the Eagles look unstoppable right now, as they boast a high-scoring offense (fifth highest in the NFL) and a defence capable of rushing the passer. Philly also leads the NFL in yards gained, and the defence is seventh in points allowed and fifth in yards allowed. Jalen Hurts seems laser-focused, and the team is locked in while leading the NFC East.
Unfazed
How does Head Coach Nick Sirianni feel about his team’s unbeaten streak?
“Good start to the season. We know that in a heavyweight championship fight, which is what we compare this to, we have 17 rounds,” Sirianni commented in an interview. “And when you go to the corner, you go to the corner, and you sit down, and you catch your breath, and you figure out what you did wrong, you try to make that correction on what you did wrong, and you come out for the next round thinking about that round, and that round only. You don’t think about, ‘What’s going to happen if I’m the heavyweight champion? What’s going to happen in Round 9? What happened in the last round?’ When you do that, you end up getting knocked out in that round.
“So, our goal is to sit there and come out the next round swinging and be ready to go and be completely focused on Round 4.”
Sirianni has the perfect mindset required for the Eagles to continue their unbeaten streak in Week 4 when they meet with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags are another surprise entry for the new NFL season as they lead the NFC East (2-1). So, when the Eagles welcome the Jags to the Lincoln Financial Field, they won’t want to overlook this team and believe they have some sort of easy game.
Undefeated
Following three rounds of play, an undefeated streak doesn’t mean much, but it does provide a level of confidence that can undoubtedly roll over into the games ahead. Even the best oddsmakers couldn’t have predicted the Eagle’s early-season success. Because sports betting is available in Pennsylvania, we’re now witnessing an influx of incoming wagers from those anticipating Philly’s undefeated streak to continue.
Eagles vs. Jaguars: The betting numbers
Philadelphia is the spread favorite in their Week 4 meeting with Jacksonville by -6.5 points, with a moneyline price of -281.
The Eagles were 4-4 against the spread (ATS) and 3-5 overall playing at Lincoln Field last season. Philadelphia has covered the spread this season in two of three games (2-1-0). Whenever the Eagles were 6.5 favourites or higher last season, they went unbeaten at home ATS (2-0). Over bettors will relish that Eagles games hit the over in six of eight home games last year. However, the over has hit in just one of their three games this season.
The statistical data and trends point towards the Eagles covering the spread, but the Jaguars could be the best defence that Jalen Hurts has faced thus far. Jacksonville’s defence has given up a mere 10 points in the two weeks, and if this defence can keep Hurts at bay, we could witness a field goal game.
The Jaguars are coming off a huge upset victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, and we know the public love a betting underdog. Jacksonville fit the narrative as a tempting underdog to wager on, and this could definitely affect the spread before game time.
