Week 5 NFL Matchups and Predictions: Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants

Eagles – Giants
Time: 1 PM ET, Sun Oct 6 2013
Spread: NYG -3
O/U: 53.5

Odds Courtesy of Bovada

In this NFC East battle of the cellar dwellers, Philadelphia and New York will make their bids to prove the 2013 season isn’t by any means over. The Giants are winless at 0-4 and Philly is only slightly better off at 1-3, but it stands to reason to that the winner of this matchup will move forward if only with slightly more reason to believe the season can be salvaged.

The Eagles are allowing 34.5 points per game in their last two matchups, but there is a team who has been even worse defensively over that stretch. Yes, their opponent in today’s game; New York has allowed 36.5 over the last two weeks and though there are those startling stats, the Dallas Cowboys are just 2-2 to lead the division which leaves it wide open, more or less.

Philly ostensibly would appear to be a successful team if only offensive vitals were glanced. They have the highest rushing yardage in the league on the shoulders of LeSean McCoy and quarterback Michael Vick, and the team is generating mass yardage. It’s mainly that the defense is so abysmal and the hope is that they can manage to get back on track after facing Eli’s more potent brother Peyton Manning last week.

Eli has thrown 56.3 percent for completion, but his 9 INTs and 14 sacks render his QB rating very poor at 69.1. A lot of that blame falls on the inexperience and ineptitude of his line, but Philadelphia may not provide much resistance defensively. NFL oddsmakers at Bovada set the over/under high on this matchup, given both teams relative offensive strengths comparative to the very poor defenses. New York will have to get more productive usage from David Wilson, who averages just 3.4 yards per carry, but they have the more multi-dimensional offense in this game, with both defenses being roughly equally poor.

PHI

OVER 4-0 in last 4 after accumulating more than 350 total yards in previous game; OVER 4-0 in last 4 vs NFC East; 0-7-1 ATS in last 8 after allowing 350 total yards