The first year of the Carson Wentz era was very promising. Although the Philadelphia Eagles finished with the same record that they did the season before, Wentz showed why the team decided to trade up in hopes of landing a franchise quarterback. His production tailed off as the season went along, but he performed very well considering he was making a huge leap from FCS football to the NFL. That has Eagles fans thinking Philly could contend for the conference crown in 2017 if a few things break their way.
NFC Odds at BookMaker.eu
Seattle Seahawks +444
Green Bay Packers +460
Atlanta Falcons +472
Dallas Cowboys +670
New York Giants +840
Carolina Panthers +1350
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +1650
Philadelphia Eagles +1700
Minnesota Vikings +1800
Arizona Cardinals +1853
New Orleans Saints +2405
Detroit Lions +2900
Washington Redskins +3000
Chicago Bears +7500
Los Angeles Rams +8000
San Francisco 49ers +8500
Key Players for Winning the NFC
Carson Wentz – Wentz was on fire to start his rookie season, throwing five touchdowns and zero interceptions in leading the team to a 3-0 record through its first three games. However, defenses caught up to some of his tendencies and he ended up throwing 13 interceptions in the Eagles last 11 games. Wentz has had a full offseason to work with offensive coordinator Frank Reich and the Eagles brass went out and got him some weapons this offseason to help his development. He will need to take a big step forward for this team to win the NFC.
Alshon Jeffery – Signing Jeffery to a one-year contract was a shrewd move. Jeffery is physically gifted but has seen injuries derail his last two seasons. When he was healthy in 2013 and 2014 though, he was a monster. Jeffery is a big, strong receiver who can outmuscle most defensive backs in order to come down with a catch. He will likely be the team’s No. 1 receiver provided he stays healthy, but has been limited in camp.
Torrey Smith – The other big acquisition this offseason was Smith. Smith has wasted away on a barren 49ers roster for the last two seasons and jumped at the chance to rejoin a contender. Like Jeffery, he was a very good option a few years ago and the Eagles are hoping that a change of scenery will make him productive again. Smith is a deep-ball threat and can stretch defenses with his routes. He likely won’t be matched up against the opposing team’s best cornerback and will need to exploit his matchup.
Ronald Darby – Philadelphia is elated to have a solid No. 2 cornerback opposite Malcolm Jenkins. The Eagles were set to go into the season with another former Florida State cornerback as the starter, but jumped at the chance to land Darby. Darby is a considerable upgrade over Patrick Robinson and might end up being the team’s best cornerback. He is unfamiliar with press coverage, so he will have to learn that quickly, but was very good in Buffalo in man-to-man. Darby will help make this secondary better and that’s needed against the wide receivers in this division.
Fletcher Cox – Cox had a standout season in 2015, but struggled last year. He saw a ton of double- and even triple-teams as no one else on this defensive line was much of a threat. The Eagles shook up the defensive line this offseason in order to free up some more room for him to operate. Philadelphia signed Timmy Jernigan away from Baltimore and used its first-round pick on standout Tennessee linebacker Derek Barnett. If Jernigan can occupy space and Barnett can effectively rush the passer, Cox could have a big season. He signed a backloaded contact last offseason and another down year will likely either mean a pay cut or a pink slip. However, if he can play like he did in 2015, he will be the lynchpin of the defense.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go.
Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
