Chip Kelly and the Eagles make watching preseason games fun. Philadelphia’s up-tempo offense put up 39 points last week, cashing the over for the third time this preseason and the 10th time in 11 exhibition games under Kelly. The Eagles scored 115 points in three games using four different quarterbacks.
ODDS
The Eagles have the biggest opening spread of the week at -5.5 as the road favorite against the Jets. It can’t be as easy as Philly has made it, can it? The Eagles are 3-0 SU and ATS this preseason, playing above the total in all three games.
QUARTERBACK ROTATION
Sam Bradford had a spectacular night Saturday, completing all 10 passes for 121 yards and three touchdowns in one quarter, completing his preseason work. The Eagles didn’t make any cuts at quarterback so the expectation is that Tim Tebow and Matt Barkley will get most of the snaps against the Jets. That will give each of them one final chance to make a case for himself as the No. 3 quarterback behind Mark Sanchez.
The Jets brought in some insurance for the insurance. New York signed Josh Johnson last week at the expense of rookie Jake Heaps. Matt Flynn was brought in two weeks ago as the only experienced quarterback available at the time, but he hasn’t fully recovered from a hamstring injury. The team is hopeful Flynn gets his first snaps this week, behind Bryce Petty who’s been solid. Johnson, released earlier by the Bengals, has a short time to learn the playbook and if he does see the field, it’ll be for a short time. Starter Ryan Fitzpatrick will not play.
COACHES' MOTIVATION
It’s been a rocky summer for the Jets and rookie head coach Todd Bowles. But with the preseason coming to an end, the starters can start preparing for the Week 1 opener against the Browns. Training camp hasn’t gone smoothly for the Jets. They lost their projected starting quarterback, Geno Smith, to a broken jaw after getting punched by a teammate. That forced them to adjust their offense midstream to veteran Fitzpatrick, a difficult situation for any team. It also left the Jets without an experienced backup, forcing the club to audition for the role with one exhibition game remaining. “I feel like we’ve grown,” Bowles said of the preseason. “We still have some work to do, but we’ve grown each week.”
QUOTE TO NOTE
“I think we’re playing faster than we’ve ever played and we’re scoring a lot of points. We need to keep it going. This is just the preseason, but I think it says something about what we’re going to be in the regular season, too.” – Eagles offensive lineman Jason Peters
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH
Kiko Alonso is still waiting to make his Eagles’ debut. Alonso was inactive against the Packers on Saturday, meaning the three primary inside linebackers have yet to play together in a game. Alonso missed all of last season with a torn ACL, though Kelly stressed the current injury isn’t related. With Alonso out, DeMeco Ryans and Mychal Kendricks started on the inside. Ryans didn’t play long and Kendricks looked rusty. All three players have missed time in the past with significant injuries and Alonso was supposed to be the insurance policy. The Eagles have Jordan Hicks and Brad Jones battling for playing time just in case.
INJURIES
Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson suffered a sprained MCL in the first quarter Saturday, exiting the game and not returning. The team isn’t concerned about the injury, but Johnson will likely take the day off against the Jets.
The Jets got a scare when top draft pick Leonard Williams sustained a knee injury Saturday. The team is hopeful to have him for the season opener after an MRI revealed no ligament damage.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
It doesn’t matter who the Eagles have running the offense, they get the job done. Bradford and Sanchez likely won’t play, leaving the duties to backups Barkley and America’s favorite fourth-string quarterback Tebow. It’s hard to imagine Kelly keeping four QBs on his roster so it could be a battle for the No. 3 job between Barkley and Tebow. Both have plenty to prove and the offense may fall off a bit, but not much. The Jets, meanwhile, would just like for veterans Flynn and Johnson to face some live action so they don’t head into the regular season with little support for their starter.
Philadelphia 27, New York 21
BookMaker sent out the NFL odds for this Thursday game at Philadelphia -5.5 with a total of 44.5. Gamble on the game between every commercial break with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen on the next play or how many points will be scored in the next quarter. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Access live betting lines from your mobile device or tablet at BookMaker sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! The game between the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets will take place Thursday, September 3, 2015, at 7 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium.
