[Verbal reasoning at 7:30 mark during my weekly pow-wow with BGN Radio’s John Barchard and James Seltzer on 97.5 The Fanatic this morning.]

The Patriots are banged up, without Gronk and Edelman (though Amendola is expected to play), and are coming off a short-ish week after a loss to the Broncos. The Eagles have had 10 days to prepare, it seems the Chip Kelly is leaving rumors have been squashed, and the matchup with Belichick is very much Kelly’s Super Bowl this year. You can bet this will be the best game plan Chip has to offer. And even the slugs in that locker room should be able to get up for a game against the Patriots in New England. Whether it’s for the team, or for their own futures, my guess is most of them show up to play today. And with the line moving in the Eagles’ direction (from +10 to +8…), I’m not the only one who thinks this game will be more hotly contested than it would appear on paper. After six consecutive weeks putting up 30 or more points, the Patriots’ supposedly dominant offense hasn’t cracked 30 in four straight weeks. Unlike the Bucs and Lions (no, really), the Patriots don’t have a dominant receiver to abuse the Eagles’ secondary. This is the start of Christmas Miracle Week in Philadelphia (Roy Halladay trade, Cliff Lee signing, DeSean Jaccson return, Snow Bowl). Eagles win, 24-21.

Please direct all post-game abuse to me on Twitter (@CrossingBroad) if the Eagles lose by 40.