The New England Patriots are no longer unbeaten. The Denver Broncos handed the defending champions their first loss of the season, 30-24, in an exhilarating overtime showdown at Sports Authority Field. C.J. Anderson ripped off a 48-yard touchdown run in the extra period to send New England crashing to its first snow game loss under head coach Bill Belichick.
The Pats will look to get their season back on track when they take on the struggling Philadelphia Eagles this coming Sunday. Read on below for a complete preview of this football matchup and while you’re at it, you can check out our complete NFL Week 13 picks.
[sc:Football ]Philadelphia Eagles vs. New England Patriots Preview
Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
When: Sunday, December 6, 4:25 PM ET
Line: Philadelphia Eagles (+10) at New England Patriots (-10); total: 49.0 – view all NFL lines
TV Broadcast: FOX
Betting on the Philadelphia Eagles (4-7)
Things are going from bad to worse for Philadelphia as it stumbled to its third consecutive defeat with a humiliating 45-14 loss to Detroit on Thursday. The Eagles had no answer for Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford who tied a personal-best with five passing touchdowns. With the loss, the Eagles now sit a full game behind the Giants and the Redskins in the mediocre NFC East.
[sc:NFL240banner ]The Eagles will look to get their playoff bid back on track when they take on the Patriots this coming Sunday. For the Eagles to snap their losing skid, they will need to start addressing their failings on the defensive end. They have allowed at least 45 points in two straight games in one season for the first time in their franchise history. With their 31-point defeat to the Lions, the Eagles have now lost by at least 28 points in consecutive games, the first time that has happened to Philadelphia in 34 years.
The Eagles are eighth-worst in the NFL in total defense this season, allowing a whopping 379.5 yards per game. Philadelphia, in particular, had difficulty stopping Detroit’s aerial attack. Calvin Johnson ran riot against Philly’s secondary, nabbing eight catches for 93 yards and three touchdowns, matching his career-high set in 2010.
To make matters worse for the Eagles, they also struggled with their own passing game. They only had 159 passing yards on Thursday. Mark Sanchez looked out of sorts, completing just 19 of 27 passes for 199 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Help is on the way, though, with Sam Bradford set to return for their Week 13 showdown with New England.
He’s 22nd in the NFL in passing offense with 2,291 yards to his name this season. He has 11 passing touchdowns this campaign to go alongside his 10 interceptions. Bradford will look to have some success against a New England secondary that’s allowing 252.6 yards per game through the air this season, 19th in the NFL.
The Eagles are 2-4 SU and ATS on the road this season.
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Betting on the New England Patriots (10-1)
The New England Patriots had their 13-game winning streak snapped on Sunday with a gut-wrenching 30-24 loss to the Denver Broncos. C.J. Anderson scored on a 48-yard run with 12:32 left in overtime to send the Patriots tumbling to their first loss of the season. It was a disappointing defeat for the defending champions who squandered a 21-7 advantage in the final quarter.
Not only did New England lose its unbeaten record in this game, the Patriots also lost their top receiver Rob Gronkowski. He was carted off with 2 minutes, 49 seconds remaining in the contest after Denver safety Darian Stewart, who was diving for a tackle, made contact with Gronkowski’s right leg. The good news for New England, though, is that initial tests on Gronkowski’s knee show no serious damage.
That’s a welcome relief for head coach Bill Belichick whose team is being ravaged by injuries at the present time. Among the notable casualties for New England as of the moment are running back Dion Lewis (torn ACL) and receivers Julius Edelman (foot) and Danny Amendola (knee). Losing Gronkowski, though, will be a huge blow for the Patriots since he is an integral part of New England’s offensive machine.
He displayed his worth in the game against the Broncos, catching six passes for 88 yards and a touchdown. It was a historic night for Gronkowski who moved past Shannon Sharpe into third place on the all-time list for touchdown catches by a tight end, with 63. With Gronkowski possibly out for Sunday’s game against Philadelphia, the onus is on tight end Scott Chandler to step up his play. He had a productive night against the Broncos, nabbing five catches for 58 yards and a touchdown.
With their receiving corps in tatters, the Patriots will need to improve on their ground game if they are to beat the Eagles. New England managed just 39 yards on 16 carries against Denver. Tom Brady, who finished with 280 yards and three touchdowns, must provide more touches to LeGarrette Blount (27 yards, nine carries). The Pats must take advantage of Philly’s feeble defensive line that’s fifth-worst in the NFL in rushing defense, allowing 126.6 yards per game on the ground this season.
The Patriots are 6-0 SU and 3-0-3 ATS at home this season.
Writer’s Prediction
The Patriots (-10) ease past the Eagles, 35-17.
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