Do you think the Philadelphia Eagles are losing any sleep this week with the prospect of having to face the Carolina Panthers at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday?
I suspect not.
If any side in this game has reason to lose sleep, nervous of a beat down by a wide margin, it is the overmatched visitors in Philadelphia this week. After all, for the first half of the 2024 season, and all of the 2023 season, the Panthers were like a free space and sure win for their opponents. And the Eagles, well they are not just any opponent.
Football insiders are likely right now to lean with the Eagles as the best team and most likely Super Bowl winner. I know, the Detroit Lions have a better record, the Kansas City Chiefs are looking for a third straight Super Bowl win and have a better record, and the Buffalo Bills have already clinched their division.
But the Eagles, unlike the Lions, have a stronger and more established winning tradition than Detroit. And to win the National Football Conference, the Lions and Eagles are odds-on favorites. The Eagles have also gotten better as the season progressed. Early in the campaign their offense was grounded by Jalen Hurts missing his best two receivers, A.J. Brown and DeVonte Smith. He was also just learning how to best utilize his new backfield mate, runningback Saquon Barkley.
Since the receivers have returned from the injuries that sidelined them, and Barkley has established himself as the top runner in the NFC, the Eagles have been unbeatable.
Of course, the Eagles were hoping to catch the Lions for the top seed in the playoff hunt this week, but Detroit survived a home scare from the Green Bay Packers, 34-31, to notch their 11th consecutive win and conference leading 12-1 mark.
The Eagles lost two of their first four games while Brown and Smith were sidelined, but since their Week Five bye, they have been perfect while winning eight straight games and beating the point spread in 75% of those contests.
So, what have the Eagles got to worry about this week?
Pretty much nothing. That is why they are giving nearly two touchdowns on the point spread and still have loyal followers showing up at the window to back them with bucks.
But, has anyone noticed that under first-year head coach Dave Canales the Panthers in recent weeks have shown dramatic signs of improvement? In fact, over the past four weeks in games against the New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Panthers have won all four games against the point spread, won two straight-up, and have not been outscored in any of those four games by more than three points.
This uptick for the Panthers has happened while last year’s bust, first overall draft pick Bryce Young, has seemingly found a rhythm with his offense.
Okay, the Panthers aren’t special, but the Eagles are coming off a huge road win over the Baltimore Ravens and getting ready to play the Pittsburgh Steelers next Sunday.
Has anyone told them they have a game to be concerned about this week too?
Probably not.
No coach pep talk about how ready they need to be and how they need to put their best effort forward is really going to get any of the Eagles players to fear the Panthers and expect nothing but an easy win.
Win, maybe.
Easy, not with the line.
Qoxhi Picks: Carolina Panthers (+13) over Philadelphia Eagles