Like a breath of fresh air, the NFL season is nearly upon us. Before the games that count get underway, of course, the teams have to play their tune-up contests, starting this week.
As part of that catalog, the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets will meet on Friday evening. The matchup will kick off at 7:30 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field.
Much like most other preseason tilts, both sides’ starters likely won’t see a lot of playing time. Let’s dive in and find the Eagles vs. Jets best bet to make some money on.
Eagles vs. Jets Information
Philadelphia coach Nick Sirianni hasn’t disclosed how long he plans on letting his key players stay in. Quarterback Jalen Hurts was only out there for a handful of snaps during last year’s preseason.
While the tandem of receivers that figure to be his favorite targets — DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown — might not see much action.
This will be the Eagles’ only preseason game on home turf this year. The Jets would be smart to limit signal-caller Zach Wilson, along with wideouts Elijah Moore and Garrett Wilson.
There aren’t any new NFL stats to go off of, but we’re still going to find ways to break down this clash.
2021-2022 NFL Matchups Scoreboard
Being that this is the first action that both teams will see this go-round, there isn’t any recent gameplay to refer to. However, these teams faced off last December.
Philly came out on the right side of that matchup, keeping itself in the playoff mix while hurting the Jets’ fleeting chances. The Eagles have never lost to New York in the regular season.
Eagles Against Jets Last Encounter
With Hurts’ ankle banged up, understudy Gardner Minshew got the starting nod from Sirianni. He did well, guiding Philly to points on seven consecutive drives in a 33-18 win in East Rutherford, N.J.
Minshew outclassed Wilson through the air, throwing for more yardage and completing all but five of his 25 attempts.
Tailback Miles Sanders rumbled for 120 yards, and tight end Dallas Goedert totaled six receptions for a game-high 105 yards and two scores.
Eagles vs. Jets Analysis
Eagles Analysis
The Philadelphia Eagles entered the postseason as the NFC’s seventh seed in 2021, boasting a 9-8 record, which was good enough for second in the NFC East division.
They weren’t a team that was quick to throw the football, as they ranked last in the league in terms of passing attempts. In relation to that, they ran the ball more than all but one other crew and had the most rushing yards and touchdowns in the NFL.
Their 4.9 yards per carry ranked fourth. Hurts and Sanders led the charge on the ground, as both ran for at least 750 yards.
Eagles Offense
As Hurts is almost sure to be yanked early, expect to see a lot of Minshew behind center, along with Reid Sinnett and rookie Carson Strong.
Behind Sanders on the depth chart is Kenneth Gainwell, who piled up 291 yards and five scores on 68 totes a season ago.
The receiver room includes Quez Watkins, Jalen Reagor, and Greg Ward in the two-deep. Undrafted rookie Britain Covey, who had an electric kick return for Utah in January’s Rose Bowl, is trying to stick.
Eagles Injury Report
Ward is questionable to suit up as his toe is bothering him. Left tackle Jordan Mailata is dealing with a concussion, and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave is nursing a groin injury. Both are listed as first-stringers on the team’s depth chart.
Jets Analysis
In head coach Robert Saleh’s first year in charge, New York rounded out last season with a 4-13 record and at the bottom of the AFC East. They gave up the highest point total (504) and most yardage (6,760) in the entire league.
The offense didn’t provide much help, as it mustered the fifth-fewest points (310) in the NFL. On the other side of the spectrum from Philly, they ran the ball less than anyone else, despite grading out 13th in yards per attempt.
Michael Carter, who’s listed as a backup behind rookie Breece Hall this season, was the only Jets player to rush for more than 360 yards.
Jets Injury Report
New York will probably be without offensive tackle Mekhi Becton, a first-stringer on the right side, who hurt his knee during practice on Monday. Starting cornerback D.J. Reed is also questionable with a hamstring injury.
Odds Breakdown for Eagles vs. Jets
Eagles Odds
As of this writing, the NFL odds consider the Philadelphia Eagles as the underdog to wager on the moneyline at -105.
The Eagles are put down at +1 points with -110 odds on the spread. This number probably stems from the fact that their big names won’t be allowed to compete for more than a series or two.
Keep in mind, though, that they do have a capable passer in Minshew and a running back in Gainwell that both saw the field when it mattered in 2021.
Jets Odds
The New York Jets are looked at as the favorite in this meeting. They’re -115 on the moneyline and -1 on the spread at -110.
In Joe Flacco, they have an experienced, Super Bowl-winning veteran backing Wilson up. Lining up in the backfield with him will be Carter, the team’s leading rusher last season.
Jets Expectations
By the time the regular season gets going, New York will have a talented triggerman with new offensive pieces around him, namely Hall and the pass-catcher Wilson.
Here, though, it’s not certain how long it will be before they’re subbed out. If you’re one to trust the oddsmakers, you could pick them to win this exhibition while covering the close spread.
The total is set at 35.5 points, with both the over and under listed at -110. If you’re thinking of betting on that, keep in mind that you can never be sure of how the offenses will fare while shaking off some rust.
Eagles vs. Jets Betting Pick and Prediction
In all likelihood, this one will boil down to how a pair of former starters do in operating their respective attacks.
Minshew has proven to be a fan favorite who even enjoyed some success during his time in Jacksonville. Flacco lifted a Lombardi Trophy in his days as Baltimore’s main guy.
The Eagles should win outright (-105). Parlay that with them covering the spread (-110).
NFL Pick: Eagles (-105)
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