IIt’s a primetime NFC East matchup on Thursday Night Football in Week 6, with the Philadelphia Eagles squaring off with the New York Giants. While there are quite a few ways to bet any NFL game, I’m going to break down the best available options for this matchup.
These bets may include taking one team with the spread, teasing the line with the total, prop bets or anything else that jumps out. In the end, it’s all about just finding the best possible options. Some of these options may only be offered on specific sites, so I’ll be sure to clarify where each option can be found.
Let’s dive into the action by starting with the quarterback matchup.
*Note: All bets are offered on Intertops, with multiple options on other sites as well.
Eli Manning +10.5 Passing Yards (-130) vs. Carson Wentz
There’s no question about the fact that Carson Wentz is the better quarterback at this point in his career. But the simple fact is, Eli Manning has had his way against the Philadelphia Eagles over the past four games. According to StatMuse, Manning has averaged 353.3 yards per game over that span while throwing 11 touchdown passes in that span.
Tack on the fact that the Eagles struggle against quarterbacks, allowing 1,462 yards and eight touchdowns to this point, plus the Giants at home on primetime, and I love this spot. Wentz could very well have a good game, but Manning has so many weapons at his disposal and could easily out-pass Wentz.
Sterling Shepard -4.5 Receiving Yards (-125) vs. Alshon Jeffery
Sterling Shepard is not only coming on currently, but he draws a very beatable matchup here. On the season, Philly has allowed 84 catches for 1,064 yards and seven touchdowns to opposing wideouts, and that bodes well for both Shepard and teammate Odell Beckham Jr. Thursday.
Going even beyond that, the numbers Shepard has posted against the Eagles over the past four games are downright scary. He’s averaged 95.8 yards per game while catching 28 passes and four touchdowns, per StatMuse. This means he’s averaging seven catches, over 95 yards and one touchdown per game against his Week 6 opponent.
On the opposite side, Alshon Jeffery gets a matchup with a Giants secondary who’s been exceptional against wide receivers this year. They’ve given up just 659 yards and two touchdowns to the position, and there’s no reason to believe that will change this week. Although Jeffery is a No. 1 wideout and Shepard is No. 2, it’s completely irrelevant in this spot.
Carson Wentz Over 18.5 Rushing Yards (-115)
Carson Wentz hasn’t taken off and run often this year, but he did total five attempts for 26 yards last game against the Minnesota Vikings. If the opportunities are there, the Eagles quarterback has no problem taking them, as we saw him run 64 times for 299 yards last season.
Although the Giants defense has been solid against quarterbacks, they’ve allowed both the most rushing attempts and yards to the position, and it’s not all that close. Throughout the season, the G-Men have given up 32 attempts for 179 yards – an average of 35.8 per game. I don’t expect Wentz to run for 40-plus yards, but seeing him top 20-25 is more than possible.
Eagles vs. Giants Combined Total Sacks Over 4.5 (-120)
This is an incredibly low number, almost to the point that it’s a little concerning. Not only are the Giants getting Olivier Vernon back from injury, but both the Eagles and Giants rank near the top of the league in sacks allowed. Philadelphia has given up 17 sacks while the Giants have seen Manning brought down 16 times.
While the Giants have been terrible when it comes to generating a pass-rush, totaling just six sacks, the return of Vernon will help with that quite a bit. As for the Eagles, they’ve totaled two or more sacks in four of five games, including tallying four in Week 1.
I’m assuming this number is low due to the Giants’ poor pass-rush, but if there was a spot for them to break through and rack up 2-3, this is it.
Odell Beckham Jr. Longest Reception Over 28.5 Yards (+100)
I spoke above about the struggles of the Eagles secondary against wide receivers, and there’s no reason to think one of the NFL’s best wideouts won’t exploit that.
This season, Philadelphia has allowed a reception of at least 29 yards in every game, and a few featured more than one. Beckham is explosive in every sense of the word and he’s capable of turning a screen pass or slant into a house call.
The reason this number is so low is due to the fact that we haven’t seen the 25-year-old have one of his monster 60-yard touchdowns yet this season, but that doesn’t mean it’s not coming. Plus, the thought of Beckham on primetime in front of a home crowd only adds to my personal belief that he’s in for a big game.
Game Bet (Extra): Tease Giants to +7.5 And Over 39
I’m not loving the game bet, but I tacked it on as an additional option. The weather is iffy in New York but I still believe we’ll see points here. The Giants offense matches up well in this spot with the Eagles and these two teams have seen the over hit in seven of their last 10 matchups, per OddsShark.
Personally, I can see the Giants winning this game and was tempted to take them on the moneyline, so I don’t blame you for going that route. But in order to play it somewhat safer, the teaser just makes sense in this spot.
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Eagles vs. Giants Pick: Best Bets for Week 6 NFL Game