Desperate Eagles have edge on Dallas
It’s too soon to label the season a fiasco in Philadelphia, because it’s only the halfway point and a bad division is up for grabs. Still, the spotlight on coach Chip Kelly is getting intense, and he’s overweight and sweating.
Kelly is getting interrogated weekly. Is he considering a move to the Tennessee Titans? Is there a chance he will return to college? What’s wrong with his offense? Did he make a mistake at quarterback?
Expected to be explosive, the Eagles are flying under the radar, ranking 12th in the NFL in total offense behind Baltimore and Tampa Bay. Kelly’s trigger man, Sam Bradford, has thrown for nine touchdowns with 10 interceptions. He ranks 23rd in completion percentage (62.0), and his passer rating (76.4) is 30th.
Big-money running back DeMarco Murray has been a bust. A year after leading the league in rushing, he’s 31st with 307 yards.
Despite some disturbing numbers, Philadelphia (3-4) is just a half-game behind the New York Giants (4-4) in the NFC East. The picture is much gloomier for Dallas, which has lost five in a row since quarterback Tony Romo went down to injury.
Romo was knocked out in Week 2, and that was a low point for the Eagles, who were embarrassingly bad offensively in a 20-10 loss to the Cowboys. But I like division revenge games, and it’s one reason I bet Philadelphia as a 2½-point road favorite Sunday.
The Eagles are off a bye, which should help Kelly’s preparation while boosting the team’s energy level, and their offense is showing positive signs. In the past three games, Philadelphia’s ground attack averaged 5.2 yards per carry. In the first four games, it was 3.1 yards per carry. Murray should be fired up for a second shot at his former team.
The Cowboys’ quarterback switch to Matt Cassel has failed miserably. He passed for 97 yards and led the offense to four field goals in a 13-12 loss to Seattle a week ago. That followed his three-interception outing against the Giants.
While the Dallas defense has held up its end of the deal, the offense has broken down. Off the field, the team is a dysfunctional mess, partly because of the negativity surrounding Greg Hardy, a disruptive force in more ways than one.
Last week, the spot was right to bet the Cowboys. This time, the signs point to the Eagles, who still can win the division and help Kelly quiet his growing number of critics. It’s a big game for both sides, because it’s going to get really ugly for the loser.
Four more plays for Week 9 (home team in CAPS):
* Rams (+2) over VIKINGS: The line indicates Minnesota is a weak home favorite waiting to get exposed. The Vikings are a 5-2 team with a slim plus-25 point differential and a lot of mediocre numbers. Rookie running back Todd Gurley has made a big difference for St. Louis, piling up 566 yards in the past four games. Gurley’s running and the Rams’ defensive front should control the game.
* Titans (+8) over SAINTS: A week after passing for seven touchdowns, Drew Brees is due for a reality check. A coaching change usually provides a sudden surge, so this is a good spot for Tennessee. It helps that rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota is returning, and he’s facing a New Orleans defense depleted by injuries. Mariota, with nine touchdown passes and five interceptions, is a major upgrade from Zach Mettenberger.
* Giants (-2½) over BUCCANEERS: Tampa Bay recently stopped a 10-game home losing streak, so it’s obvious home-field advantage is not much of a factor. The Buccaneers are hitting a flat spot after their biggest win of the season. Eli Manning, who passed for six touchdowns in a loss to the Saints, is finding a groove with the Giants’ big-play receivers.
* CHARGERS (-4) over Bears: Throwing money on San Diego, which has lost six of its past seven, is no get-rich-quick scheme. Philip Rivers leads the league with 2,753 yards passing because the Chargers are trailing in most games. But I’ll still take Rivers over Jay Cutler, who will be missing injured running back Matt Forte on Monday night.
Last week: 3-0-2 against the spread
Season: 22-15-3
Las Vegas Review-Journal sports betting columnist Matt Youmans can be reached at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. He co-hosts “The Las Vegas Sportsline” weekdays at 2 p.m. on ESPN Radio (1100 AM). Follow: @mattyoumans247