Will the real Philadelphia Eagles please stand up? Chip Kelly's squad looked so darn bad for two games, but all of a sudden, they looked great last week against the previously unbeaten Jets. Now, they have a date with the Washington Redskins in what might be a crucial NFC East duel.
WHEN THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES HAVE THE BALL
It's amazing that the Eagles seemed to get better when DeMarco Murray wasn't in the lineup. After the team rushed the ball 33 times for 70 yards, including 21 times with Murray for just 11 yards, Philadelphia came up with 39 carries and 123 yards against a great Jets defense with Murray nursing a hamstring injury.
Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles combined for 36 carries and six catches, and the fact that both were able to get in the end zone offensively really helped out. It was the first game in which Sam Bradford was given the night off, more or less. He only went 14-of-28 for 118 yards, which isn't exactly a fantastic day, but if the ground game is working that well, Bradford won't need to do a lot.
If we've learned nothing else over the course of the last couple seasons, it's that Chip Kelly's offense works its best when the quarterback doesn't need to do a heck of a lot. That doesn't mean that things won't be better if Bradford does play well, and the fact that he didn't was why the Jets eked back into last week's game after falling behind 24-0.
The Redskins haven't shown a lot defensively, and they sure as heck haven't played well against Kelly and this Philly offense in two seasons. The Eagles have averaged 29.5 points per game since Kelly has come to the City of Brotherly Love, and they have had all sorts of success when they have gotten that first strike down the field. A first down can really get this offense going, so if Philadelphia is starting to get those first downs and run quickly up to the line of scrimmage, with or without Murray, live bettors should know that points are going to hit the board in a hurry.
WHEN THE WASHINGTON REDSKINS HAVE THE BALL
The Redskins are most successful in live betting when both Alfred Morris and Matt Jones are running the ball well. It's not those massive 30+ yard runs that Jay Gruden and company need. It's the six, seven, eight yards on first down that put Kirk Cousins ahead of the down and distance that are badly needed.
The Eagles still have some issues defensively. Ryan Fitzpatrick moved the ball far too well last weekend against this unit, particularly in the second half, and the prospects of not having both Mychal Kendricks and Kiko Alonso in the fold just doesn't bode well.
TREND TO TRACK
We mentioned the success the Philly offense has had in this series since Kelly has entered the NFL, but the Redskins have put points on the board as well. Granted, Cousins is a different quarterback than Robert Griffin III is, but the results should end up being the same.
Even though the Eagles have played three straight unders to kick off 2015, the fact that this total opened at just 47 tells us that there could be a real opportunity for live bettors playing the over. All four games between these two teams have gone over the total, and there might not be such a thing as a bad time to live bet the over in this, the first of two meetings this season as well.
BookMaker opened the spread for this Sunday game at -3 in favor of the Philadelphia Eagles. The NFL odds total surfaced at 47. Minute-by-minute spreads, totals and props are available for this game using the live betting platform at BookMaker.
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins is scheduled for Sunday, October 4, 2015, at 1:00 p.m. ET at FedEx Field. The game will be broadcast on FOX.