So, I'm 12-0 picking Eagles games so far this season. 10-2 isn't a bad record for the Birds either. They hope to go 11-2 this Sunday in Los Angeles against the surprising Rams,while hanging with Minnesota and staying just ahead of New Orleans.
I didn't think Philly would beat Seattle last Sunday night because the Seahawks needed the game more and were at home. I didn't expect coach Pederson to turtle-up again as he did last year in Dallas. That surprised me. I thought he as over that with his aggressive style all season long. But, the players, like the coaches, are only human. Can't expect Carson Wentz to be perfect every week. Sometimes we forget he is only in his second full season as an NFL quarterback. Shows you how much he has come along when we do forget he is only a sophomore in this league.
Plus Seattle is an experienced club, despite all their key injuries. They've played in big games in prime-time before and know what it takes to win. The Eagles are learning, and hopefully they learned a lot to carry them into the post-season.
For all of those reasons is exactly why I'm picking the Eagles to win this week. They are playing a much more inexperienced team in LA. Half of the Colosseum will be Eagles fans, so it will practically be a home game. And now the Birds need the game as much as the 9-4 Rams.
Philadelphia is tied for the best record in the NFC with the vikings at 10-2 They don't want to lose home field advantage in the playoffs, but even more importantly, finishing in the top two slots in the NFC seeding would give the Eagles a bye. They would rest at home on wild card weekend, one less game to the Super Bowl.
I believe, regardless of what happens agains the Rams, the Birds will finish with at least 13 wins, with upcoming victories in New York against the hapless Giants, a Christmas night home win vs. Oakland, and a New Year's Eve celebration against arch-rival Dallas. But winning on Sunday in LA sure would make things easier.
The Rams are a speedy, exciting, young team, with second-year QB Jared Goff doing the signal-calling. This is their first really big challenge, against an angry Eagle team coming off a loss. How will the Rams respond?
As always, turnovers will be a key. The Rams can put up points, so getting off to a fast start, limiting turnovers, and scoring touchdowns rather than field goals will all be important.
The lines- both offensive and defensive- must step up as opposed to last week. Wentz shouldn't be as nervous. The Birds need to do the intimidatin
The Wentz-Goff match-up will be fascinating to watch. Both have plenty of weapons to draw upon.. The difference in this game may be the defense. Goff is not the scrambling-type of QB that Seahawk QB Russell Wilson is, so the Birds' pass rush should be more effective this week. The Philly defense really had not seen a mobile QB like Wilson yet this season, and having a QB like Wilson may be one way to beat the Eagles' ferocious pass rush.No such problems against the Rams.
The most important game for the Rams will be next week at division-rival Seattle. The Seahawks already beat the Rams, so LA will need that game even more to win the NFC West.
Make it Eagles 34 Rams 13.
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