2017 NFC Playoff Odds and Betting Preview of the Saturday afternoon game where the Atlanta Falcons visit the Philadelphia Eagles.
2017 NFC Playoff Odds – Previewing the Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are the top seed in the NFC playoff order, but you’d be foolish if you said that this is the same team that was a month ago. That’s because Carson Wentz, who had been developing so beautifully and established himself as a clear leader in the huddle, suffered a knee injury and will not be available to this team anymore. They now have to go with Nick Foles, who had been a hero in Philly before but did not exactly end of the season with a flourish. So can we make a case that they can win at home, as an underdog, against the Atlanta Falcons, the defending NFC champions? We will find out, as these teams kick things off on Saturday at 4:35 PM ET at Lincoln Financial Field. If you are a VietBet customer, you can place wagers even after this game gets underway, using the state-of-the-art software available through Live Betting Ultra.
2017 NFC Playoff Odds – Falcons vs Eagles:
In the football playoff odds that have been posted on this game by the folks at VietBet, the Eagles are actually catching points at home:
Atlanta Falcons -3 (-105)
Philadelphia Eagles +3 (-115)
Over 41 points -110
Under 41 points -110
Join Vietbet NOW for 2017 NFC Playoff Odds online.
US PLAYERS WELCOME!
Enter promo code VIET35 good for a 35% Welcome Bonus up to $1,000.
Foles averaged just 5.3 yards per attempt with five touchdown passes and two interceptions. This team stagnated with him at the helm against Oakland in the penultimate game, and then he got some time with the first-team offense in the finale against Dallas, but could not move the ball, completing only four of 11 passes. But this is not exactly a babe in the woods – Foles had a then-record 27-2 ratio of touchdowns to interceptions when he was at the Eagles in 2013, and not only made the Pro Bowl, he was the MVP of that game. So don’t sell him completely short just yet. And as we will take a look, there are some other reasons why the Eagles finished with a record of 13-3 straight-up (7-9 ATS).
This is actually the first time since seeds that were established in the NFL playoffs that a team seeded in the #1 position has actually been an underdog at home. Maybe that works to the Eagles advantage; maybe it doesn’t. We can tell you that the opposing quarterback here, Matt Ryan, has just a 4-5 straight-up record in playoff games. And it is very likely that he will facing a lot of pressure here from Jim Schwartz’s defense, which will dial up a lot of creative blitzes. A key man here – and in every game the Eagles play – is defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, who can put pressure on the quarterback from the inside (registering 8.5 sacks this season).
VietBet patrons should remember that this is not nearly as dynamic a Falcon offense as they put on display last season – in 2016 they averaged 33.8 points per game and this year that figure is all the way down to 22.1.
Philadelphia has some pretty dazzling defensive credentials. For one thing, no team in the NFL gave up fewer rushing yards per game than they did (79.2). You saw that Atlanta relied an awful lot on the ground game when they played the Rams, and their duo of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman might get slow down quite a bit by a stop unit that gives up just 3.8 yards per carry. The Eagles also intercepted 19 passes on the season, and it obviously deserves mention that Bryant was not nearly as mistake-free as he was last season.
The Eagles stop teams cold on third down, allowing just 32.2%, and they have usually won the turnover battle (+12 on the season). Foles has to be a little bit more than just a caretaker in this offense, but they can run the ball (4.5 yards per carry) and have some depth back there, including LeGarrette Blount, who has been in the playoff pressure cooker before. No team in the league was as proficient scoring touchdowns in the red zone as the Eagles were, as they converted 66.7% of the time. So can Foles access the weapons to make that happen?
VietBet gives you a lot of extras for signing up, including a free play bonus with reasonable rollover, and you can place wagers after the opening kickoff with Live Betting Ultra…….. Reduced juice is obviously available, and there are a number of ways to deposit, including your Visa card, person-to-person transfers (like Western Union) in the virtual currency of Bitcoin, which is fast and easy with their automated system, and NEVER incurs a transaction fee!
2017 NFC Playoff Odds – Previewing the Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons might be coming along at just the right time, or at least that’s the way they would like to think. They went into this season obviously as one of the favorites in the NFC to get to the Super Bowl. And when you think about it, there is really no prohibitive favorite to emerge out of the four teams are remaining in the conference. On Saturday they will take on the Philadelphia Eagles, the #1 seed but a team without their starting quarterback, in a game that begins at 4:35 PM at Lincoln Financial Field. VietBet customers can access Live Betting Ultra to make real-time wagers even after the opening kickoff, thus adding a lot of excitement to the proceedings.
Atlanta was snakebitten last year when it blew a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots, and that’s been a heavy emotional burden to carry all season long. But they were able to overcome some midseason slumping and, after defeating the Los Angeles Rams last week, they are currently 11-6 straight-up and 8-9 against the football point spread.
You could say that they carry at least some edge in playoff experience into this game, but not like they did against the Rams. There is not much argument that when you go from an MVP candidate like Carson Wentz to Nick Foles at quarterback, it’s a downgrade. And Foles is not done an awful lot to inspire confidence with the Eagles, as the offense has sputtered. Still, Foles does have some experience and has been in the playoffs, so it’s not like they have a second-year quarterback like Jared Goff to contend with.
Atlanta averaged almost twelve points fewer per game and it did last season, but we know that the Falcons can move the football, as evidenced by their position as the #2 team in the NFL in terms of yards per drive. When you look at people like Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman, who combined for 1493 total yards, you have to admit that there is depth in the backfield. And there is no doubt that Matt Ryan, who won the Most Valuable Player award last season, has the best receiver on the field in Julio Jones (1444 yards). Ryan might even be getting more comfortable with his offensive coordinator, Steve Sarkisian, although we don’t want to make the mistake of calling them an offensive juggernaut as they were last season.
Defense might be the bigger story in Atlanta these days, and it is interesting that this team is only allowed one opponent to score more than 26 points. That’s important because the Eagles led the league in scoring for much of the season. Atlanta is fifth-best in the league in red zone defense, which will make things more complicated for Foles on those occasions when Philadelphia gets within the 20-yard line. And let’s remember that left tackle Jason Peters is out for the Eagles.
Backers of the Falcons probably have a reason for confidence, since Foles, who had his amazing season of 27 touchdowns and only two interceptions back in 2013, still does not look comfortable in the Philly offense.
Come to VietBet and get a free play bonus just for signing up, and then enjoy reduced juice, which gives you more value in the NFL playoff odds…… Live Betting Ultra enables real-time wagering, and it’s never been easier to open up an account, as you can use Visa, person-to-person transfers and the virtual currency of Bitcoin, which is fast and easy with their automated system!
By Charles Jay
