Seahawks vs. Eagles Picks with Odds and Expert Betting Predictions

There's an old saying in the NFL that the "backup quarterback is the most popular guy in town." That's obviously not true in places like Boston/New England, New Orleans or Kansas City to name three because those towns have Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Patrick Mahomes, respectively. In Chicago, Denver and Nashville, to name three others, it definitely is true right now.

We bring this up because the most popular quarterback in the City of Philadelphia right now is still probably current Jacksonville backup Nick Foles. That's because Foles of course replaced an injured Carson Wentz late in the 2017 regular season and led the Eagles to their first Super Bowl title. Last postseason, Wentz was out again and Foles led an upset in Chicago in the Wild-Card Round and then nearly another one in New Orleans in the Divisional Round. He left as a free agent after this season to Jacksonville.

Wentz is clearly a better QB than Foles, but we don't know if he has that clutch gene as Wentz will make his playoff debut in Sunday's late NFC Wild-Card game vs. visiting Seattle. In case you are wondering, ancient Josh McCown is his current backup.

Seattle fans would trade Russell Wilson for no one and he's 8-5 in his playoff career with what should be two Super Bowl rings but for a terrible play-call in the final seconds of XLIX vs. New England. I honestly can't remember the last time Wilson wasn't on the field, but his backup is Geno Smith if curious.

The winner Sunday will visit No. 1 San Francisco in the Divisional Round unless Minnesota upsets New Orleans earlier in the day. If that happens, the winner goes to No. 2 Green Bay. Seattle is +1100 to win the NFC and +2500 the Super Bowl, with Philadelphia +1300 and +3500, respectively.

Seahawks at Eagles Betting Story Lines

Both clubs are ravaged by injury and I give little chance to the winner in the Divisional Round because of them. In Week 17, the Eagles beat the New York Giants 34-17 to clinch the NFC East and did so with seven offensive starters sidelined as well a few on defense. Good-looking rookie running back Miles Sanders left with an injury and former practice squad player Boston Scott rushed for three scores. He was also the leading receiver.

Pro Bowl guard Brandon Brooks also left injured and his season is over. Pro Bowlers Zach Ertz (tight end) and Lane Johnson (right tackle) were among those who didn't play. Sounds like Sanders will be good to go this week, but it's still unclear on either Ertz or Johnson. Philly is so thin at receiver right now that the two primary guys are JJ Arcega-Whiteside, a rookie second-round pick, and Greg Ward Jr., an undrafted free agent out of the University of Houston, where he was a quarterback. At least Philly has another excellent tight end in Dallas Goedert. Wentz this season became the first player in NFL history to throw for 4,000 yards in a season without a 500-yard wide receiver. That's how banged up that group has been.

The Seahawks are so thin at tailback after losing Rashaad Penny, Chris Carson and CJ Prosise in recent weeks that they signed Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin off the street last week to back up rookie sixth-rounder Travis Homer. Seattle lost a thriller 26-21 at home to San Francisco on Sunday night when tight end Jacob Hollister was stopped about six inches shy of the goal line and the winning TD in the final seconds. Homer rushed for 62 yards and Lynch had a rushing TD.

Had Seattle won the game, it would have been the NFC West champion and off this week. Instead, the Nines are and the conference's top seed. Linebacker Mychal Kendricks suffered a torn ACL in the loss and is obviously done. Receiver Jaron Brown hurt his knee and is going to miss this game (remember that wideout Josh Gordon is indefinitely suspended). Left tackle Duane Brown and safety Quandre Diggs both were out injured; Diggs should be back this week but not Brown.

Somehow, these teams have never met in the playoffs. Seattle won its fifth in a row in the series in Week 12, 17-9 in Philadelphia. Penny rushed for 129 yards, including a 58-yard touchdown early in the fourth for a 17-3 lead. Total yardage was about dead even but the Eagles turned it over five times, four by Wentz. Ertz had a big game with 12 catches for 91 yards and a score.

Seahawks at Eagles Betting Odds and Trends

Seattle is a 1.5-point favorite (-110) with a total of 45.5. On the moneyline, the Seahawks are -133 and the Eagles +113. On some alternate lines, Seattle is -3 (+115), -3.5 (+140), -7 (+225) and -7.5 (+245). The Seahawks were 5-2-1 against the spread on the road and 4-4 "over/under." The Eagles were 3-5 ATS at home and 2-6 O/U.

Seattle is 5-1 ATS in its past six Wild-Card games. It is 10-3-2 ATS in its past 15 following an ATS loss. Philadelphia has covered six straight January games and is 10-1 ATS in its past 11 overall as an underdog. The over is 7-2 in Seattle's past nine playoff games. The under is 16-5 in Philly's past 21 at home. The road team is 7-3 ATS in the past 10 meetings. The under has hit in the past four.

Seahawks at Eagles Betting Prediction

Only game on Wild-Card Weekend where the home team is a dog. All four home teams were favored last year in this round and three of them lost outright: Houston (vs. Indianapolis), Baltimore (vs. LA Chargers) and Chicago (vs. these Eagles). Dallas beat these Seahawks, who were +3 and covered in a 24-22 loss.

I actually think the Eagles will win outright in this battle of attrition only as they are home, but I'll take the 3.5-point alternate line to be safe. Something like 23-21 so go under the total.

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