October 20, 2017
After a short turnaround between the Cardinals and Panthers games, it feels like the Eagles haven't played in forever. And with them facing the Redskins in yet another primetime matchup on Monday night, that wait is going to feel just a little bit longer.
A loss to Washington, however, and the Eagles will quickly find themselves back among the pack in the NFC – and will see their division lead shrink to just a half-game.
With an 8-2 home record under Carson Wentz and Doug Pederson, the Birds will look to continue their hot start as they return home for the first of three straight at the Linc after playing four of their first six on the road.
Here's what you need to know about the game, plus how we see it playing out.
TV: ESPN | STREAM: WatchESPN | RADIO: 94.1 WIP
SPREAD: Eagles (-4.5) | TOTAL: 49 (via Bovada)
As we noted the first time the Eagles faced the Redskins this year, the Redskins no longer have the same significant matchup advantages they once did over Philly, most notably at the wide receiver position against the Eagles' defensive backs. This time around, the Redskins' banged-up secondary will have to figure out a way to slow down Carson Wentz and the Eagles' third-ranked offense.
The Eagles have had 10 days to rest up, get guys healthy and prepare to beat a division foe they already beat on the road. There’s no reason they shouldn’t win this game with ease, especially if they’re the team they appear to believe they are.
Not going to overthink this one. The Wentz for MVP campaign keeps rolling.
If there's anyone's prediction you don't want to pay attention to this week, it's mine. Sure, just like the Eagles, I'm 5-1 picking their games this season. And, yes, I correctly picked the outcome of the Eagles-Panthers game – I was even a Pederson two-point conversion attempt away from having predicted the exact final score.
Never a doubt. https://t.co/f7PBE5Y98O pic.twitter.com/rzpwZu4yN0
— Matt Mullin (@matt_mullin) October 13, 2017
So why shouldn't you listen to me this week? Because I'm due for a loss. And I kind of feel like the Eagles are too. They've had 10 days to sit back and feel pretty good about themselves, all while the rest of the NFL came crumbling down around them. It's just a game I could see the Eagles losing.
That being said, I'm not about to pick against them after how smart they made me look a week ago. They're the better team, they've been great at home since the start of last season, and Carson Wentz is playing out of his mind. The Birds roll on.
Follow Matt on Twitter: @matt_mullin
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports
