Winning the turnover battle and getting out to an early lead are always important in the NFL, but never moreso than when you’re the underdog and playing a team that’s considered a serious contender. That’ll be the case for the Seahawks tonight, as they host the Eagles – who are favored by 3.5 points according to the latest odds at BetMGM.
There’s no doubting Philly is the better team this year, flawed as they are. However, there are two crucial trends going against them this season that could play right into the Seahawks’ hands for an upset tonight. First of all, the Eagles have issues with turnovers. Heading into Week 15 they are -4 in turnover differential for the season. (Seattle is +1).
The #Eagles with 19 giveaways this season… -4 in turnover differential puts them near the bottom of the league in takeaways – @bbrooks72NBCS and I with the panic.
Something to keep on eye on tonight against the #Seahawks on #MNF pic.twitter.com/9KkdKZVIrl
— Ashlyn Sullivan (@ashlynrsullivan) December 18, 2023
The Eagles have also been getting off to slow starts recently, forcing them to play from behind. Philly has been trailing at halftime in their last six games.
Heading into tonight's game in Seattle, the Eagles have trailed at halftime in six straight games, which has impacted their pass rush. At the same time, their defense also has struggled on third downs and in the red zone. Those are some areas of emphasis for tonight.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 18, 2023
Of course whatever we say about how this game might go tonight is highly theoretical. As of this hour, we’re not sure if we’re going to see Geno Smith vs. Jalen Hurts or Drew Lock vs. Marcus Mariota.
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