Weighing the odds.
Steve Maltepes, known as “The Philly Godfather,” will impart his gambling wisdom on the Eagles and where the smart money is going on various pro football games each weekend this season. Maltepes is one of the nation’s hottest sports betting experts who appears weekly on national radio and has his own website, www.thephillygodfather.com [thephillygodfather.com].
Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Arena Corinthians, in São Paulo, Brazil, 8:15 p.m. Friday
The Line: Eagles minus-3/Total: 48.5
What is the line telling you:
First off, we are very bullish on the Eagles this year. We took them to win the NFC East at plus-115, but the first game of the season will be difficult for them. The line opened with the Eagles originally being a 1.5-point favorite. It fluctuated and dropped to a pick’em, and it has since shot back up to Eagles minus-three. Packers’ coach Matt LaFleur’s game plans have usually been great. He has done a great job anytime his team has been an underdog. He has covered the spread 22 of 32 times and overall is 53-37 against the spread. Forget about what you saw the beginning of last season. This Packers team is very talented with a host of wide receivers for Jordan Love to connect with. Defensively, the Eagles could have some problems early on. The Eagles defense will get better through time under Vic Fangio. Offensively, even though the Eagles are stacked with so much talent, the Packers will cover the three-point spread.
Bottom line: We like the Packers. The reason being if you look throughout Jalen Hurts’ career, at home, he is 17-9 against the spread. That is No. 3 among active quarterbacks since 2020. On the road, or at a neutral site, he is just 10-18-1 against the Vegas number. That is the worst among 104 quarterbacks since 2020. We also like the over. Both teams offensively are stacked.
Eagles game props
Josh Jacobs anytime touchdown +115
Saquon Barkley anytime touchdown +100
Christian Watson anytime touchdown +175
AROUND THE NFL
Teaser
Seven-point NFL
New England Patriots at Cincinnati Bengals/Bengals minus-8 line, 1 p.m. Sunday
New York Jets at San Francisco 49ers/49ers minus-4.5 line, 8:20 p.m. Monday
The Line: Take Bengals minus-1/take Jets plus 11.5
Jacksonville Jaguars at Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m. Saturday
The Line: Dolphins minus-3.5/Total: 48.5
What is the line telling you:
Jacksonville’s defense will keep them in the game. They look much better on paper this season. They have a new defensive coordinator,
Ryan Nielsen, from the Falcons, where the defense finished the regular season tied for the second-most forced fumbles in the NFL (18) and ranked ninth in total tackles across the league (1,076). He will have a lot more talent to work with in Jacksonville.
Bottom line: We like the Jags here plus-3.5, unless Trevor Lawrence losses the turnover battle. We also like the under.
(Betting lines are subject to change.)
