SuperBook Sports previews tonight’s showdown

NFL: Philadelphia Eagles at Seattle Seahawks

Don’t look now, but there might be trouble in paradise. Or rather, in Philadelphia. The Eagles have gotten absolutely destroyed their last two times out, and some are wondering if those dreams of going back to the Super Bowl are dead.

They got blasted by the 49ers at home 42-19 and then went down to Dallas and lost by 20, an ugly final score of 33-13. The 10-3 record is still shiny, but they’re in an absolute dogfight for the NFC East with the Cowboys.

And speaking of dogfights, the 6-7 Seahawks are right there in a crowded playoff picture, but they can’t afford to lose many more games. If any at all. QB Geno Smith is questionable with a groin injury, and although Drew Lock played okay against the Niners a week ago, this team is better with Smith under center. Seattle has lost four in a row, and that 6-3 start feels like a distant memory. They desperately need a win to salvage their season.

So how does it shake out when both teams are on losing streaks? Well, someone has to find an elusive victory, unless the dreaded and unlikely tie comes into play. Let’s dive into it…

Eagles -3.0 (-120)

What to like about this line…

• The Eagles are still a darn good team, and as mentioned, the Seahawks are struggling. Philly has beaten the Bills, Chiefs, Cowboys and Dolphins over the last two months. No one scares them. And they’re also capable on the road, posting a 5-2 mark away from home this season. Lumen Field should be really loud, but it’s hard to imagine that bothering Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense. The Tush Push travels, and so do all their stars on offense.

• Meanwhile, Seattle has been outscored by 37 total points over the last four weeks, including losses by 18 and 12 points to San Francisco. The Seahawks’ only victory since October (!) is a 29-26 triumph over a lousy Washington team. It’s hard to trust them right now, let alone keep this within a field goal. 

• Speaking of those Philadelphia stars, they have a lot of them. Hurts has 31 total touchdowns, getting 19 through the air another 12 on the ground. He can score in all kinds of ways. Wide receiver A.J. Brown is having a monster year, posting 1,258 yards receiving and seven touchdowns. That yardage total was second in the NFL entering Week 15. Devonta Smith is a very solid No. 2 WR, catching 69 passes for 907 yards and six touchdowns thus far. Running back D’Andre Swift has had no problem fitting in, going for 822 yards on the ground and four scores and another 208 yards and a touchdown through the air. He’s been contained the last two weeks, but they’d be crazy not to get him back in the fold. All this is to say the Eagles will have no problem scoring, something they should do plenty of in Seattle.

What not to like about this line…

• Of their four straight losses, three for the Seahawks have come on the road. They hit a brutal stretch on their schedule, including playing the Super Bowl favorite 49ers twice. Overall, they’re 4-2 at home including two wins by double-digits. In the NFL, anytime you win by 10+, it’s a drubbing.

• There are real concerns about what’s going with the Eagles. Hurts is expected to play, but he did miss Saturday’s practice with an illness. If he’s still sick come Monday night, that’ll be a major concern and something to watch.

• Losing is one thing but losing by a combined 43 points over two weeks makes the alarm bells sound. If the Eagles fall in Seattle, it’ll be full on panic. This game doesn’t look as challenging for the Seahawks as it did 15 days ago, and they can definitely take advantage. Their last three times out, the Philly defense has given up 34 points, 42 points and 33 points. Regardless of who plays, Seattle should score.

• And who’s going to help the Seahawks score? The easiest place to start is their dynamic receiving trio. Veterans D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett both have more than 700 receiving yards on the season and a combined 11 touchdowns. Rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been coming on as of late; he has 493 yards through the air and two scores. Regardless if it’s Smith or Lock under center, the quarterback won’t have a shortage of weapons.

• Running back Kenneth Walker III returned from an injury last week, and appeared to get eased back in. But he should be a full go against the Eagles and could have a big night. This season, Walker has rushed for six touchdowns, including two games with a pair of them. He’s gone for at least 60 yards on the ground seven times, and Seattle should feed him the rock. If Walker can grind clock, this game could stay close and move quickly. In that case, it’s really tempting to take the three points, especially considering what Philadelphia has done recently.

Over / Under 48.0 (-110)

What to like about the over…

• The Eagles have gone over this number in four of their last six games, including some big totals. They scored a combined 61 with the Niners, 71 with the Bills and 69 with the Commanders. Those would not only shatter 48 points, it wouldn’t even be a sweat. They’re comfortable playing in shootouts, something that could happen.

• Speaking of shootouts, the Seahawks have played four of them season, going for 68 points with the Lions, 64 points with the Panthers, 55 points with the Commanders and absurd 76 points with the Cowboys. Their defense isn’t the elite group many think of when Seattle comes to mind, and the Eagles could easily score four if not five touchdowns. As long as the Seahawks get a few of their own, which they should, this over easily hits.

What to like about the under…

• Seattle has gone under 48 in eight of its last 10 games. That’s a significant sample size and definitely something to consider. They went really low with the Giants (27 points), Bengals (30 points), Cardinals (30 points) and Rams (33 points). Especially if it’s Lock and they put a strong emphasis on Walker and the run game, this definitely could go under.

• For Philadelphia, the Eagles can go low too, especially on the road. In away contests against the Buccaneers, Rams, Jets and Chiefs they went for 36 points, 37 points, 34 points and 38 points. Clearly their offense is more effective at home, so it’s something to keep in mind, especially after managing just 13 points a week ago in Jerry’s world. At this point in the season, with guys beat up, games can be more grind-it-out type affairs. If that’s the case on Monday night, an under ticket may very well cash.

Steve Quinne’s Pick: Philadelphia -3.0 (-120)

The guys in the Philadelphia locker room know if they lose this game the season hits a breaking point. If they can’t capture the NFC East, the road back to the biggest game in sports would almost assuredly be all on the road. Winning three road playoff games to get to the Super Bowl has happened in the past, but it feels like hitting a parlay with crazy odds. The chances of it just aren’t that likely. Hurts is a gamer and should find a way back on the field, plus they won’t make the mistake of ignoring Swift, getting him touches early and often. And let’s face it, the Seahawks have fallen off a cliff. Just 1-5 in their last six games, this season is fading fast and deep down the players probably know it. Head coach Pete Carroll must be thinking he needs a new QB to realistically capture another championship, and that’s a daunting road, especially for an older coach. The Eagles get back on track, and they do it emphatic fashion, as Philly rolls by a final score of 35-20.