The Philadelphia Eagles will kick off their title defense against the Atlanta Falcons in the first game of the 2018 NFL regular season. The game will be played at Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday, September 6. It is scheduled to begin at 8:20 PM. ET.
Falcons vs Eagles Odds
Point Spread and Over/Under
- Atlanta Falcons +1.5
- Philadelphia Eagles -1.5
- Over/Under 44.5
My Pick
Atlanta Falcons Analysis…
The Falcons had an uneven season last year but they finished with a 10-6 record, which was good enough to make the playoffs. The team defeated the Los Angeles Rams in the Wildcard Round, but they were eliminated in the Divisional Round by the Eagles, who went on to defeat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.
The Falcons will be trying to get off to a good start and also get some payback for their playoff loss, so expect them to get off to a fast start on Thursday night.
Atlanta’s offense struggled last season, after a record breaking 2016 campaign. They also struggled in the preseason but most of their starters didn’t play significant minutes. They will need to get their offense back on track if they want to beat the Eagles.
Atlanta’s running game is also a cause for concern after Devonta Freeman struggled last year. Freeman finished the season with 865 yards and seven touchdowns in 14 games.
Philadelphia Eagles Analysis…
The Eagles weren’t content with standing pat after winning the Super Bowl. They made sure they will stay in contention by improving their team, especially on the defensive front.
The Eagles added Michael Bennett and Haloti Ngata to give them some extra depth on defense, giving them one of the best defensive lines in the league. They also drafted Avonte Maddox to give them another playmaking defensive back.
After Nick Foles led the team to their first Super Bowl win, they made sure they had some insurance in case starter Carson Wentz, who suffered a season-ending injury last year, wasn’t ready to start the season. The move ended up being a smart one because Wentz isn’t going to play in the season-opener which means the team will turn to Foles again to lead them to victory.
As defending Super Bowl champions, the Eagles will have a target on their backs, but if the team stays focused like they were last year and don’t get complacent, they should be able to make it out of the NFC again this year.
Final word…
The Eagles are favored to win the game by 1.5 points. The over/under on total points scored is 45.
The Falcons will be trying to make a statement in the opener, but the Eagles, who will likely have a slow start, will turn things around in the second half and get the win. Take Philadelphia -1.5.
Play: Eagles -1.5
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