Doug Pederson is a +280 underdog as his 2-6 Jacksonville Jag-wires visit the 5-2 Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon. It’s a 4:05 p.m. game that was flexed out of prime time, largely because the Jags stink and Doug’s seat is toasty.

The Birds are on a three-game winning streak and coming off their best W of the season, a 37-point explosion in Cincinnati. That was good enough for the books to list them as a -360 favorite on the moneyline at a -7.5 spread. The Eagles have won by 20 points and 25 points in the last two weeks, which is reflected in the numbers you’re seeing at NJ betting apps and PA sports betting apps.

If you’re looking at the myriad props and options for this game, a few things to consider:

Jalen Hurts anytime touchdown scorer

This was an automatic bet last year and is becoming an automatic bet this year. Jalen has five rushing touchdowns in his last two games, but the prop is still listed around -115 right now. While most of his rushing touchdowns come from the tush push, he did get in last week with a beautiful zone read that flipped the calendar back to 2022. If you believe he’s a threat to replicate that and do more in the option and QB draw game, then -115 is a good price.

the books still like Saquon

Saquon Barkley is listed around -185 as an anytime touchdown scorer. That seems funky considering that Hurts has been stealing his touchdowns. Barkley only has one rushing score in his last five games, but he’s racking up yardage, so if you’re looking at his props, the over 84.5 rushing yards at -114 is probably the better bet. The Jags run defense isn’t bad, basically right above the NFL average, so if you think Saquon is due for a regression you can get 80+ yards at -145 and 70+yards at -210 if you wanna wrap them into a same game parlay.


first quarter differentials

The Eagles are still the only NFL team without a first quarter score in 2024. They are -30 in first quarter point differential.

If you think that finally changes, at home against a stinky team, look into the Eagles -1.5 in the first quarter at -108, or -205 straight up to win the quarter. If you think the trend continues, you can get the Jaguars in a three-way bet for +210, or +160 removing tie from the equation. If the Eagles win the coin toss, do they defer? Or do they take the ball and try to get started quickly for once?

Maybe pulling the trigger there is iffy, and if so, look into the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarters instead. The Eagles are:

  • -3.5 in the 2nd at +104
  • -1.5 in the 3rd at -110
  • -2.5 in the 4th at -108

value on Smitty

DeVonta Smith is listed with an over/under of 55.5 receiving yards for Sunday. He has only gone under that number once this season, when he logged -2 in a strange game up in New York. He’s caught 6 or more passes in four of his six games this year, so if that happens, he’s highly likely to hit his over.

explosive plays

The Eagles have the most 40+ yard plays in the NFL this season, and you figure they will rip off a big gain at least 2-3 times in this game. The only problem is trying to figure out where it comes from. When you look at the “player longest reception” prop, Smith is listed over 21.5 at -120 and A.J. Brown is over 28.5 at -110. If your book of choice includes longest rushing props, Saquon has has a carry of 30+ yards in four of his seven games this year. With the Eagles, it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when, and from whom.