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Philadelphia Eagles at Carolina Panthers NFL Betting Odds & Picks

Written by Jimmy Boyd

eagles panthers 9909 Two of the best teams in the NFC from the 2008 season clash this Sunday in Week 1 when the Philadelphia Eagles meet the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Neither team put much emphasis on winning in the preseason with the Eagles finishing 1-3 and the Panthers laying a goose egg, but both franchises figure to contest strongly for their divisions. The Eagles and the Panthers last met back in 2006 in what was a very good football game. Veteran quarterback Jeff Garcia helped lead the Eagles to a 27-24 victory, the fourth win in five meetings between these two teams in the all-time series. But it is worth noting that Carolina got the win that counted the most, defeating the Eagles in the 2003 NFC title game. NFL odds makers are basically calling this one a toss up, listing the Philadelphia Eagles as a slight 1.5-point favorite with the total set at 43.5.

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The Eagles have arguably been the best team in the NFC this decade and have advanced to the NFC championship game in five of head coach Andy Reid’s 10 seasons. But, they are yet to bring home the hardware. The big news on campus is the signing of former Falcons QB Michael Vick and how his presence in the offense may affect Eagles franchise signal caller Donovan McNabb. We won’t get into that discussion just yet as Vick is not eligible to play until Week 3. McNabb had an up and down 2008 season until he was benched in late November. That little coaching move paid off as McNabb went on a tear down the stretch to lead the Eagles to another NFC title game. One player I’ll be very interested in this week is Eagles multi-purpose running back Brian Westbrook. The two-time Pro Bowl back has been getting hit by the injury bug in recent years and his offseason ankle surgery kept him out of the entire preseason. If he is not yet at full strength, we are likely to see quite a bit of rookie LeSean McCoy.

Defensively, it’s going to be a little different not seeing coordinator Jim Johnson on the sideline. Johnson, who died of cancer in the offseason, helped the Eagles put some of the best defenses in the league on the field over the last decade. I hope new coordinator Sean McDermott was taking notes. If you like Philadelphia to be a road warrior in Week 1, bet the Eagles at -1.5 at BetUS.

The Panthers are sticking with quarterback Jake Delhomme, who has led the team to five postseason wins in his career. Delhomme did take a lot of heat, though, following a six-turnover debacle in last year’s playoffs. The veteran signal caller likely will not be able to afford another off day in this one with the way the Eagles go after opposing quarterbacks. The combo of Delhomme to wide receiver Steve Smith figures to be a deadly one again as the duo hooked up for over 1400 yards despite Smith missing two games. The two-headed running back monster of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart will be a force as well. The Eagles will have to prove that they can shut down the run or I promise you Carolina will grind it out all day long. While the Eagles are getting most of the early betting attention from the public, it is worth noting that they are just 1-7-1 against the spread in their last 9 games as a road favorite of 3 points or less. If you like Carolina on its home field, bet the Panthers at +1.5 at BetUS.

Crush your man in Week 1 with Jimmy Boyd’s expert football picks!

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