My school-aged friends, finals season is upon us. We’ve grown weary, stressed, and fatigued by a never-ending list of obstacles, exams, sleepless nights, and due dates. Like an NFL team venturing away from its bye week, the only light at the end of the tunnel is the end of the season road. The offseason, winter break, graduation. Nevertheless, let’s check in on the NFC after #NFLWeek13’s action. Who passed their test?
Philadelphia Eagles 35 – Tennessee Titans 10
Fly Eagles Fly. 🦅
I’ve been harsh on the Philadelphia Eagles as they’ve ascended to the league’s elite. Jalen Hurts’ development is critical to this team’s success, and he’s finally checked off the final box for me to get fully on board. In the midst of a lights out passing display, he routinely and effectively made NFL throws over the middle of the field.
Furthermore, I expected the Tennessee Titans to cover due to their relentless rushing attack and Philadelphia’s suspect defense. They made me look like a fool. Derrick Henry was held to 30 yards as the Eagles outpaced the Titans offense and boat raced Tennessee’s trenches. They passed their test with flying colors.
The Eagles are undoubtedly one of the three best teams in the sport. Per FanDuel, they boast the third best odds to win the Super Bowl, at +500. With a championship run, a $100 wager would win $500. If you’re in on the Eagles, make sure to take advantage of FanDuel’s promotion for BetBasics readers: UP TO $1,000 BACK IN BONUS BETS.
San Francisco 49ers 33 – Miami Dolphins 17
Another team that passed their test was the San Francisco 49ers. Their exam focused on the middle of the field, and whether or not DeMeco Ryans’ defense could win the battle against the explosive Miami Dolphins offense. ⚔️
Their cheat sheet was two-sided: on one, Kyle Shanahan’s influence on Mike McDaniel gave the 49ers an edge. The other side was simply a picture of Fred Warner, the best linebacker in football. Warner eliminated Miami’s threats between the numbers with his elite coverage skills. Forced to target the sidelines, Tua Tagovailoa was trapped, and it showed.
However, cheating only works if you never got caught, and caught they were. The football gods were not kind to the 49ers, taking Jimmy Garoppolo early in the game. His fractured foot ended his season, but did it end the 49ers’ championship aspirations?
Brock Purdy played admirably in relief, holding out hope on the bay. Given the unbelievable surrounding cast and a scheme that is proven to lift mediocre quarterbacks, we shouldn’t expect San Francisco to struggle. With that said, the road to a Lombardi Trophy just got much more difficult. 🏆
Washington Commanders 20 – New York Giants 20
With playoff hopes and bragging rights on the line, MetLife stadium played host to a highly anticipated divisional matchup. We got a draw, complete with offensive nonsensicalness and an uninspiring coaching display. 😐
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll might have had his worst game as lead man. Questionable overtime and fourth down decisions left a rudderless offense helpless. There’s a gaping talent issue on this side of the ball that playmaking cannot mask. Without elite coaching, it will begin to fail. Perhaps we had not considered regression on Daboll’s part when speculating about this team’s demise.
On the Washington Commanders’ front, a tie is helpful for playoff positioning. Yet, I’m not optimistic they make the playoffs. They reside in the NFC’s eighth seed, a position I expect them to hold. After an #NFLWeek14 bye, they meet the Giants again. Then: a bruised but tough San Francisco team, the Cleveland Browns, and the Dallas Cowboys, who just put up 54 points on Sunday Night Football.
Washington currently possesses +118 odds to make the playoffs, per FanDuel. For more on futures, check out the Basic Tips section below this article.
Seattle Seahawks 27 – Los Angeles Rams 23
It wasn’t pretty, but C’s get degrees and one-possession wins against bad teams get playoff appearances.
Amidst the ugliest win of the year, Geno Smith has continued to emerge. A Seattle Seahawk-colored Phoenix amidst the ashes of a rebuilding roster, Smith has delivered time and time again. This time, it came in crunch time and kept their playoff hopes alive.
There is no gimmick. This is not a flash in the pan. Smith is playing football at an undeniably high level. He should get all but a blank check in free agency this spring as compensation for taking this team to the playoffs. In the name of exceeding expectations, Smith has become the feel-good story of the year and a damn good NFL quarterback.
Green Bay Packers 28 – Chicago Bears 19
Does passing a test matter if you’ve already failed the class? Perhaps the pursuit of a D+ has given the Green Bay Packers life. It’s either that or rookie phenom Christian Watson.
Watson has come into his own in the past month, scoring eight touchdowns and racking up two 100-yard games in the last four weeks. He’s a dynamite field stretcher that opens up as many opportunities for himself as he does for his teammates 🧨. Watson has earned the trust of his veteran quarterback and his beginning to reap the benefits.
Down the stretch, he’s built himself a legitimate case for Offensive Rookie of the Year. Watson’s +380 odds are the third highest, trailing only Kenneth Walker and Garrett Wilson. The Packers may have fallen short of a passing grade, but it’s been high marks this semester for the rookie.
BASIC TIPS
This article features playoff, championship, and awards odds. These all fall under the umbrella of “futures” bets. Naturally, these are wagers that are settled farther into the future than your typical gameday bet. Futures bets are a game of timing. Too early, and you risk overconfidence without enough information. Hesitate and the long odds you wanted to take advantage of may shrink to far less valuable levels. Identifying the apex value of a futures bet is paramount is maximizing profits.