The Week 15 Sunday NFL slate comes to a close in Los Angeles, as the 11-2 Rams play host to the 6-7 Eagles. What once appeared to be an epic encounter now looks to be a rather one-sided affair. That said, there is still plenty of value to be had from a betting perspective. The Rams will be looking to get back on track after a disappointing loss in Chicago last week. Conversely, the Eagles had their season all but ended last week with an overtime loss in Dallas. As always, let’s take a look at our 3 best bets on the board in this one.
Where to Watch: ESPN, 7 Mate or NFL Game Pass Monday 12:20 pm
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams enter this one off what was well and truly their worst game of the season last week. This was largely due to a surprisingly poor performance from their vaunted offence, only managing 6 total points. QB Jared Goff looked completely lost, completing only 20 of his 44 passes for 180 yards. He was also sacked 3 times and threw 4 interceptions in what was a nightmare display. Even superstar Running Back Todd Gurley struggled to get going, totalling only 28 yards on the ground. Against an Eagles secondary that is decimated by injury, I expect the Rams passing attack to rebound in a big way here.
On the other side of the ball, the Rams defence can’t be blamed for the loss last week. They were excellent all night, limiting Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky to just 100 yards on 30 attempts. Their opportunistic secondary also managed 3 interceptions to help keep this one competitive. Where they could stand to improve is the rush defence. They allowed 195 rush yards in Chicago last week, which cost them control of the field position and time of possession battles. If their offence can get out to an early lead here, they should be able to make the Eagles offence one-dimensional.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles effectively had their season ended in Dallas last week, falling 29-23 in overtime. The rushing attack couldn’t get anything going all afternoon, totalling only 34 yards on 14 carries. QB Carson Wentz was solid in this one, throwing for 228 yards and 3 scores. He is an injury doubt for this one, meaning that reigning Superbowl MVP Nick Foles may be under centre. Whilst the Eagles offence has struggled for much of the season both Zach Ertz and Alshon Jeffery are very strong weapons in the passing game.
Defensively, the Eagles laid an egg in Dallas last week. Their injury-riddled secondary particularly struggled, allowing Dak Prescott to throw for 455 yards and 3 touchdowns. The rushing defence wasn’t all that much better, allowing 142 yards as Ezekiel Elliott and Co controlled the game. After being one of the NFL’s best units last season, the Philadelphia defence just hasn’t been able to reach the same heights in 2018. Coming up against a talented and angry Rams offence isn’t exactly a recipe for success either.
Best Bets
Rams -10
Whilst this number started out at around 8.5, news of the Carson Wentz injury has already pushed it to 10. Although 10 is a relatively high spread, it’s one that I’m more than comfortable laying with this strong Rams team. They still have one of the NFL’s premier offences, putting up 29 or more points in each of their home games so far. Conversely, the Eagles offence has struggled all year, only eclipsing 30 points in one game this season.
The Rams also have a significant motivational edge in this one. They were embarrassed in Chicago last week and will look to rebound here at the earliest opportunity. In what is their last primetime game of the regular season, I expect the Rams to come out and make a statement here. Contrast that with the Eagles. They’ve essentially lost the division title last week and now have to make a cross-country flight without their starting QB. LA takes this one comfortably.
Under 53.5
Whilst I don’t expect the Rams to have any problem putting up points in this one, I just don’t see how the Eagles can match them. Even though he put up an excellent playoff run last season, Nick Foles is a significant downgrade from Carson Wentz. With a Rams pass rush boasting the likes of Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh, I’m expecting pressure on Foles all night. The Rams defence has performed well against inferior offences of late, allowing an average of 15.5 points over their last 2.
At the 53.5 number, I think this total is probably inflated by 4-5 points. Against a struggling Eagles rushing attack, I expect RB Todd Gurley to shine and can easily see 150+ yards from scrimmage from him. This will allow for LA to control the time of possession and decrease the expected points total. Having only eclipsed 30 points once this season, this improving Rams defence also matches up well with Philly.
Rams 1st Half -6.5
Instead of opting to hedge my bets, I’m doubling down on the Rams with a first-half bet. One of the primary reasons for backing LA here is that I expect them to have the motivation advantage. I expect this to manifest itself primarily in the first half. With such a huge talent advantage, a touchdown or less really isn’t much for this excellent offense to lay. Perhaps the best part of this bet is that it correlates strongly with our Rams full game play. Expect the Rams to get right in front of the nation on Sunday night.
Score Prediction: Los Angeles Rams 34-17 Philadelphia Eagles