Two injury-depleted teams take the field on Sunday as the Seattle Seahawks visit the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC wild card round of the playoffs. The Seahawks saw both C.J. Prosise and Chris Carson go for the season, and so they went to get Marshawn Lynch out of free agency. He scored a touchdown in Week 17, as Seattle saw their comeback bid against San Francisco fall inches short, sending the 49ers to a first-round bye and the top seed in the NFC — and sending the Seahawks to Philadelphia. The Eagles won their last four games of the season to knock the Dallas Cowboys out of the top slot in the NFC East and cemented their division title with a convincing win over the New York Giants in Week 17. Seattle has beaten the Eagles five times in a row. Will they make it six on Sunday? Or will the Eagles make it five wins in a row overall? Check out our NFC wild card sports betting preview.
Seahawks vs Eagles 2020 NFL Wild Card Odds & Game Prediction
- When: Sunday, January 5, 2020, 4:40 pm ET
- Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
- TV: NBC
- Radio: Westwood One
- Live Stream: NFL Game Pass
- NFL Odds: Seattle -1.5 / O/U 46
Why should you bet on Seattle?
Seattle already had a full trainer’s room, but against San Francisco, they lost even more players, as wide receiver Jaron Brown sprained an MCL and could miss the game. Even if he plays, his speed and cutting on routes is likely to be limited. Linebacker Mychal Kendricks tore an ACL and will not return this season. Even so, the Seahawks were in position to win, with a first and goal in the waning seconds, before a delay of game penalty, a missed pass interference call and a controversial goal line review all went the 49ers’ way.
The running game wasn’t all that bad against San Francisco, given that Seattle had a retiree and a rookie. Lynch and rookie Travis Homer combined for 92 yards on 22 carries, and Homer also caught five passes for 30 yards. Russell Wilson still has Tyler Lockett to throw the ball to; Wilson has a 31:5 TD:INT ratio on the season, with 4,110 passing yards and 342 rushing yards. D.K. Metcalf has also caught 58 passes for 900 yards and seven scores. So if the Eagles’ secondary is as giving as it has been, Wilson could have a big day.
Why should you put your money on Philadelphia?
Philadelphia’s injury list is also significant, but the biggest name on that list is Zach Ertz, as the star tight end remains questionable with fractures in his ribs and back. He did not play in Week 17. Tailback Miles Sanders sprained an ankle and is also listed as questionable, along with wideout Nelson Agholor. However, wideout DeSean Jackson, who has missed a great deal of the season with an abdominal injury, could return.
Philadelphia lost to Seattle in Week 12, but they turned the ball over an uncharacteristic five times, only entering the red zone on two different occasions. Quarterback Carson Wentz has played well this season — particularly down the stretch. He has a 27:7 TD:INT ratio on the year, throwing for 4,039 yards. Tailback Boston Scott has been a real find for the Eagles, filling in for both sanders and Jordan Howard, scoring three times in Week 17. Tight end Dallas Goedert has filled in nicely for Ertz, catching 58 balls for 607 yards and five scores — so perhaps the Eagles’ passing offense is not as depleted as one might think.
Final Score Prediction
Usually, Seattle is a lot stronger team at home. However, this season they are 7-1 on the road, including that Week 12 win in Philadelphia. However, the Eagles are 4-1 since that loss, following up a loss in Miami with those four wins in the division to take the title. The Eagles have the momentum, with a four-game winning streak, and they have the defense to make Wilson look at a lot of third-and-longs. I like Philadelphia to win, 23-20.
