NFL odds: Will the Eagles eclipse 13.5 wins?
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Eagles have taken a significant leap in year two under head coach Nick Sirianni.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts is playing like an MVP candidate, Jonathan Gannon's defense leads the league in takeaways and the Eagles have the best record in the NFL as the league's lone one loss team.
Entering the year, most sportsbooks listed the Eagles' over/under win total at 9.5. With a win against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, the Birds will make a lot of bettors that took the over happy.
But now, sportsbooks have a new over/under for Eagles' regular season wins: 13.5 (-130).
Is it worth taking the over? Or will the Eagles struggle against the second half of their schedule?
Let's take a look below:
The case for the over
In order for the Eagles to get to 14 wins, they'll need to go 5-2 over their final seven games. On paper, that might seem tough, but this Eagles team is capable of it.
Last week in the win over the Indianapolis Colts, the Eagles' offense definitely missed Dallas Goedert. But, I'd expect Sirianni and offensive coordinator Shane Steichen to have a better game plan for life without Goedert.
Plus, Goedert is expected to return at some point during the regular season. He's eligible to return as early as Week 15 against the Chicago Bears.
The Eagles' rushing defense was suspect without rookie Jordan Davis, but it looks like the additions of veterans Linval Joseph and Ndamukong Suh will help after their performance against the Colts. And once they get Davis back, they'll have plenty of depth on the defensive trenches.
If Joseph and Suh can continue to replicate their performances over the next few weeks against Aaron Jones, Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley, it'll certainly help the Eagles get 14 wins.
But what's the most important factor in eclipsing the 13.5 win mark? That would be the play of Hurts, who's having the best year of his young NFL career.
Hurts has been playing like an MVP candidate this season. Even though the offense has hit some hiccups over the past few weeks, they have a prime opportunity on Sunday night to get things back on track against the Green Bay Packers.
The case for the under
For the past three weeks, the Eagles haven't been the same team they were for the first eight weeks of the year.
That trend could continue as we enter the final stretch of the regular season into the playoffs.
Sure, Joseph and Suh played really well against the Colts, but will they deliver every week? Joseph is 34 and Suh is 35, and their ages could catch up with them.
What if the Eagles' offense regresses without Goedert? They were able to get it done against Indy, but it was clearly tough for them to move the ball for parts of the game.
They're also missing starting slot cornerback Avonte Maddox. Josiah Scott is a fine backup, but opposing teams will continue to exploit that weakness with Maddox sidelined.
The Eagles have also started to lose the turnover battle recently. They still lead the NFL in turnover differential at plus-12, but they've committed seven turnovers in the past three weeks. Before that, they only had two giveaways.
There was bound to be some regression in the Eagles' turnover luck, and they've recently found out the hard way.
To end the season, the Eagles have three NFC East games: two against the New York Giants and one against the Dallas Cowboys. Both are right behind the Eagles in the division.
The Eagles are better than the Cowboys and Giants, but just like we saw against the Commanders a few weeks back, it's tough to sweep division opponents. That, and games against the Tennessee Titans and Chicago Bears – if Justin Fields is healthy – will be pivotal games on the Eagles' quest to 14 wins.
Conclusion
After looking at both sides, do I think the Eagles will eclipse 13.5 wins? Yes, I think they will.
Even though I do have my concerns without Goedert on offense, I trust Sirianni and Steichen to figure out life without their premier tight end. If they can lean on A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and the running game, they'll have plenty of weapons to beat opponents while he's injured.
I thought the performances of Joseph and Suh were encouraging, especially after they were just signed to the team. They should continue to learn Gannon's system and only get better. Plus, Davis will be back eventually, which will strengthen the unit.
If the Eagles do record 14 wins, it will be the first time the team will hit that total in the regular season. The added week to the NFL schedule helps, but it's still a significant accomplishment.
The Eagles have recorded 13 wins in the regular season twice – 2017 and 2004. They've also finished the regular season with 12 wins three times and 11 wins seven times.
This Eagles team already made history by starting 8-0. But will they make history again and record 14 wins for the first time in the regular season? I think so.
Lock it in.
All odds are courtesy of Caesar's Sportsbook.