Two teams struggling to keep their heads above the water after winless starts to the season face off at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia, with the home Eagles (0-2) welcoming the Cincinnati Bengals (0-2) for a Sunday afternoon tilt.
The two franchises are in very different situations after the unfortunate starts to their seasons. The Bengals are looking for progress in 2020 with rookie Joe Burrow under center for second-year head coach Zac Taylor, who is now 2-16 to start his career at the helm. Philadelphia still aspires to take an NFC East crown and head to the playoffs behind the leadership of Doug Pederson and the arm of Carson Wentz. Both teams are desperate for a win.
Eagles Outlook
The Eagles are coming off of a blowout loss at home to the Los Angeles Rams, 37-19, giving up two touchdowns in each of the first and last quarters of the game. The defense was considered to be a strength by many in Philadelphia entering the season. Yet, they failed to record a turnover for the second game in a row to start the year. Particularly noteworthy has been their inability to cover the tight end which was exploited in the game, with the Rams’ Tyler Higbee catching all five of his targets and reaching paydirt on three. The Bengals will be without C.J. Uzomah who is out for the season but hope to get second-year man Drew Sample involved against a suspect linebacking core.
Bengals Gameplan
Each team struggled against the run in Week 2, with Philadelphia coughing up 191 rushing yards and the Bengals were gashed for 215 and three touchdowns against the Browns, as they fell in a 35-30 defeat. In another mirror-image of their opponent in the City of Brotherly Love, their linebacking core also struggled, as Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt rattled off long runs of 26 and 33 yards, respectively. The teams will each look to get the running game going against suspect defenses. Cincinnati will lean on Joe Mixon to control the game and take pressure off their young quarterback, while the Eagles hope Miles Sanders can find room against a defensive front that is likely to be missing defensive tackle Geno Atkins (shoulder) and possibly backup Mike Daniels (groin) on Sunday.
Game Info
Date: September 27, 2020
Start Time: 1:00 P.M. est
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Stadium: Lincoln Financial Field
TV Info: CBS
Betting Odds Sponsored by Jazz Sportsbook
Points Spread: PHI -4.5 (-110) | CIN +4.5 (-110)
Moneyline: PHI -225 | CIN +180
Over/Under: O 47.5 (-110) | U 47.5 (-110)
With two teams staring down the possibility of starting the season with three losses, the spread seems appropriate. However, it could be a dangerous bet as one bounce of the ball may determine the outcome. It may be better to avoid this bet.
Bettors will be tempted to take the Cincinnati Moneyline after seeing the way the offense performed last week. While that could make for a nice payoff, the real bet here is on the over/under. The total seems steep by normal standards, but low for a pair of franchises that will still be willing to throw the ball in the second half, considering the way each defense performed last Sunday. Expect the passing games to go over that 47.5 mark down the stretch.
Prediction
Each club will play ball control early. They will trust in their running backs to control the time of possession and hope for a “home run” play. After the half, desperation sets in for both and it becomes a battle between two gunslingers to the finish line. Burrow has more healthy weapons, but after leading the Bengals to a late lead, Wentz quiets critics with a final drive for the home team to seal the game.
Final Score: Cincinnati 27, Philadelphia 28
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