Thursday Night Football: Odds, Predictions, and 4 Best Bets for Eagles vs Giants
Two NFC East teams heading in opposite directions collide on Thursday as the Philadelphia Eagles (4-1) head north to take on the New York Giants (1-4) in a primetime matchup.
Philadelphia’s chance at an undefeated season came to a halt on Sunday. The Eagles had a 14-point lead during the contest, but the Denver Broncos rallied to steal a 21-17 decision from the defending Super Bowl champions.
New York changed quarterbacks after starting the season at 0-3, going with rookie Jaxson Dart under center. He responded with a 21-18 upset of the previously undefeated Los Angeles Chargers, but the Giants fell back to earth last week by losing to the New Orleans Saints.
Can Dart add another mammoth upset to his rookie resume? We’ll cover that and provide bettors with our top three player props for this Thursday night contest.
New York Giants QB Jaxson Dart UNDER 177.5 Passing Yards
New York is offering Dart a trial-by-fire experience as the team’s starting quarterback. He authored an efficient 13-of-20 performance against the Los Angeles Chargers, finishing with 111 passing yards in his team’s victory.
Dart followed that up with a 202-yard performance where he completed 26 of his 40 passes. Still, he threw two interceptions as his team trailed for most of the game. Bettors should expect he’ll continue to be forced to throw against Philadelphia, but the Eagles are a better defensive group. Take the rookie to finish well below his passing prop mark on Thursday.
New York Giants TE Theo Johnson OVER 28.5 Receiving Yards
Part of Dart’s problem is that he’s without his top receiver. Malik Nabers suffered a torn ACL, sidelining him this season. That injury has put pressure on the remaining receiving corps, a young group that features Wan’Dale Robinson.
That’s what makes the tight end and running back group an obvious play on Thursday. The top receiver beyond rookie back Cam Skattebo is second-year tight end Theo Johnson.
The tight end has been targeted 12 times in the past two games, finishing with nine receptions and 33 yards. Expect Johnson to be featured again on Thursday, covering his player prop bet by a narrow margin.
Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley OVER 85.5 Rushing Yards
Philly fell in love with running back Saquon Barkley last season, watching the former New York Giant player help lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl championship. He’s not excelled to start this season, however. Through five games, he’s rushed for just 267 yards and three scores, averaging just 3.2 yards per attempt.
The Giants are among the bottom of the league, allowing 140 rushing yards per game over their first five outings. With the added motivation of punishing his former team, individuals should expect him to have his best game of the young season, eclipsing the 85.5-yard rushing mark to cover the prop bet.
Best Bet: Philadelphia (-7.5)
The Eagles are massive favorites heading into this contest, as they should be. Philadelphia has owned the series as of late, winning seven of the past eight contests. Only twice in those seven wins have the Giants lost by a touchdown or less.
Bettors should expect that trend to continue on Thursday night. New York is playing with house money, starting a rookie quarterback who could alter the trajectory of this series. Don’t expect him to be a big factor in his third NFL start, however; take the Eagles to cover their 7.5-point spread.