NFL Futures and Picks Week 1: Packers vs Eagles

Share News

NFL Futures and Picks Week 1: Packers vs Eagles

The Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles face off this Friday at Corinthians Arena in their first duel of 2024. Both teams enter the NFL season with high expectations and strong rosters, making this a must-watch contest. Below is a detailed Green Bay Packers vs Philadelphia Eagles prediction and a breakdown of crucial factors that could influence NFL Futures. 

BUSR NFL Lines: 

Spread: Packers +2.5 (-110), Eagles -2.5 (-110) 

Moneyline: Packers +118, Eagles -144 

Total: O 49 (-110), U 49 (-110) 

Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers are coming off a 9-win season and enter their sixth year under head coach Matt LaFleur. With four playoff appearances in the last five seasons, the Packers are again expected to compete at a high level. 

Much of the optimism surrounding the Packers comes from the impressive play of quarterback Jordan Love, who threw for 4,100 yards and 32 touchdowns last season. Love looks like another gem in the Packers’ rich history of elite quarterbacks, following in the footsteps of Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.

The Packers have bolstered their offense by adding star running back Josh Jacobs, providing a more reliable ground game. Wide receivers Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs return, and their chemistry with Love is expected to grow even stronger this season. Defensively, the Packers are led by Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, and Kenny Clark, who combined for 24.5 sacks last year. The addition of safety Xavier McKinney further strengthens their secondary.

Jordan Love has recorded 24+ completions in four of the Packers’ last five regular season games against NFC opponents and has thrown two or more touchdowns in his previous six games. Wide receiver Jayden Reed has emerged as a critical target for Love, recording 50+ rushing and receiving yards in seven of his last eight games.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles have made the playoffs for three consecutive seasons under head coach Nick Sirianni. They aim for a third straight season with double-digit wins, something they haven’t achieved since 2002-2004.

Led by quarterback Jalen Hurts, the Eagles boast one of the most dynamic offenses in the league. The addition of running back Saquon Barkley further strengthens the backfield, while wide receivers A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith form a top-tier duo.

The Eagles made fundamental changes on defense by bringing in Vic Fangio as their new defensive coordinator. They also added linebackers Devin White, Zack Baun, and Oren Burks to improve a defense that was inconsistent last season. 

Jalen Hurts has been a consistent performer, recording 22+ completions in three of his last four games as a favorite against NFC North opponents. Saquon Barkley has been equally reliable, scoring at least one touchdown in eight of his previous ten games as a favorite. Barkley has also recorded 70+ rushing yards in five of his last six appearances against NFC North teams.

Predictions

On paper, the Philadelphia Eagles may seem like the stronger team, but recent trends suggest the Green Bay Packers could pull off a surprise. The Eagles have failed to cover the spread in five straight games as favorites, and with the Packers covering each of their last five as underdogs, this game has upset potential. 

Additionally, concerns about the Eagles’ interior offensive line and defensive cohesion under a new coordinator make this matchup even more intriguing. Meanwhile, the Eagles have struggled in recent games as favorites, failing to cover the spread in their last seven games against NFC opponents. With these trends in mind, the Packers appear well-positioned to at least cover the +2.5 spread and could pull off an outright win.

Several trends favor the Packers in this matchup. The underdogs have won four of Green Bay’s last five Week 1 games, and the team has covered the spread in five straight games as an underdog, with four of those covers resulting in outright wins. 

Ultimately, given the Packers’ strong track record as underdogs and the Eagles’ struggles to cover as favorites, the prediction leans towards Green Bay. Expect the Packers to cover the +2.5 spread, and don’t be shocked if they win outright.