The New England Patriots will be looking to get off the pre-season snide when they face the Philadelphia Eagles tonight at Gillette Stadium. The last two games have not been kind to the defending AFC Champions as they have had trouble hanging on to the football. Despite their recent woes, NFL betting odds at Sportsbook.com have the Patriots as a -2.5 home favorite in tonight's game.
The New England offense has been anything but intimidating during the pre-season. They have averaged 205 yards per game in their first two outings and they have produced just 25 points. However, the starting unit has barely seen the field and quarterback Tom Brady's foot injury is of far more concern to Patriots fans than the lack of production in exhibition play.
What is no doubt upsetting the coaching staff, though, is the team's eight turnovers in two games and sluggish defensive play. New England defenders allowed the Buccaneer ground game to run for 170 yards last week.
The Eagles sport a 1-1 pre-season record, but they too have been somewhat unimpressive. In last week's win over the Panthers the first team offense was unable to put any points on the board in six possessions and they also had two turnovers. Donovan McNaab has been pedestrian at best, completing just 11 of 24 passes for 98 yards.
The coaching staff will be anxious to see how their young receiving corps performs tonight because they will likely be heading into the season without last year's number one receiver Kevin Curtis. Curtis just recently had surgery on a sports hernia. Number two man Reggie Brown is sidelined as well with a hamstring issue. Second round pick DeSean Jackson will get plenty of chances to show the team what he can do.
The Eagle defense has been stout this pre-season. They have held the opposition to an average of 14.5 points per game and last week they limited the Panthers to just 212 yards of offense while generating three turnovers.
NFL Preseason Game Trends: The Philadelphia Eagles are 1-4 straight up and against the spread in the third pre-season game since 2003.
Sportsbook.com's line for tonight's game:
Eagles +2.5 (-105), Over 37, +120 (Money line)
Patriots -2.5 (-105), Under 37, -140 (Money line)
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