New England Patriots vs Philadelphia Eagles Preview
The New England Patriots welcome the Philadelphia Eagles to Gillette Stadium on August 16 at midnight. The preseason is well and truly underway and we have another round of exciting fixtures to get through. Philly and New England returned to winning ways when they hit the field last week.
A new era is being ushered in for the Patriots after Bill Belichick stepped away from his 23-year reign as head coach. In Philadelphia, Nick Sirianni is still looking for more from his talented crop of players. Can the Eagles hand the Patriots their first loss of the preseason or will the Pats continue to shine?
New England Patriots vs Philadelphia Eagles Head-To-Head and Key Stats
The New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles have met 16 times in the NFL since 1973. The Eagles hold bragging rights, having won nine meetings to seven. They last clashed in September 2023, opening their respective regular season fixtures.
Philly stormed the Patriots in the first quarter, scoring three times and shutting the Pats out. Mac Jones had a nightmare in the first 15 minutes. Within 15 seconds, he threw a pick-six and fumbled the ball to allow Philly to score again. He helped mount a comeback in the second quarter with two passing touchdowns, ending the half narrowly behind at 16-14.
The offence frequently frustrated Jalen Hurts in the second half, as he struggled to find passing options. Even so, the Patriots could not take advantage despite strong field positions. Mac Jones recovered from early mistakes to finish with 316 yards and three TDs. Kicker Jake Elliott won the game for Philly with four field goals before a consolation touchdown for the Patriots saw the game finish 25-20 to Philadelphia.
The Eagles kicked off their preseason against the Baltimore Ravens on August 9 at M&T Bank Stadium. Coach Nick Sirianni named a team of practice squad and bit-part players, as is the tradition in preseason openers. His counterpart, John Harbaugh, did the same.
1st W of the (pre)season 🦅@BetMGM | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/BmhATpTKbI
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) August 10, 2024
Backup quarterback Kenny Pickett could not produce for Philadelphia and Baltimore’s Josh Johnson also struggled. Pickett managed one passing touchdown in the first quarter and Lew Nichols secured a running TD for Philly in the third while they kept Baltimore to field goals. Jake Elliott’s kicking was poor all day and Devin Leary tied the scores at 13-13 in the fourth. Elliott recovered from a bad day at the office to score a walk-off field goal and hand Philadelphia a 16-13 win.
The Eagles had a catastrophic end to 2023. After going 10-1 through their first 11 fixtures, Nick Sirianni’s team stumbled over the finish line with a 1-5 record in their final six regular season games. Their poor form bled over into the postseason and Jalen Hurts and co suffered a shock defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card playoffs.
There was a need for some new life in their team through the draft, particularly in the secondary. The Birds selected Quinyon Mitchell 22nd overall, arguably the best cornerback in the class. They also got a first-round talent in Cooper DeJean at number 40 and have revitalised their secondary.
The New England Patriots played their first preseason game on August 8 when they clashed with the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium. A drab affair saw both teams go scoreless in two quarters and just one score in the first three. Bailey Zappe stepped in at quarterback for the Pats, finishing with 108 yards through 20 attempts. Joe Milton III, a sixth-rounder in 2024, made the only touchdown pass of the day. The Patriots never allowed Carolina to get going on offence and it finished deserved 17-3.
Post-dub vibess 🔥 pic.twitter.com/3nk8O9dWhe
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 9, 2024
There has been a Tom Brady-sized hole in Foxborough since TB12 departed in 2019. Mac Jones wasn’t the answer, nor was Bailey Zappe. The hope is that number three overall pick Drake Maye can at least half-fill those enormous shoes. He was arguably the best pick of the class of 2024. With Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker bolstering their receiver corps, the Patriots look in great shape after the draft.
New England Patriots vs Philadelphia Eagles Predictions
Correct score prediction: New England Patriots 16-23 Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles’ collapse at the end of 2023 shook the organization with some questioning Sirianni’s position as head coach. The glaring holes in their roster became clear too late, but they have enjoyed some time out of the spotlight. The New England Patriots were one of the poorest teams in the league last season with a 4-13 record. Even after a strong draft, there is plenty of work to be done in Foxborough. Our football prediction is for a Philadelphia Eagles victory.
We are yet to see Drake Maye start for the Patriots in preseason, having only entered for a few snaps against Carolina. Jalen Hurts has not appeared for Philly in the preseason so far. Hurts had a roller coaster in 2023. He set career highs in passing yards and touchdowns, but also career highs in interceptions and lost fumbles. However, Hurts never looked 100% healthy throughout the season and his offensive line left a lot to be desired. His experience will be invaluable in this game as he starts his first preseason match.
Hurts failed to deliver the punch we had seen from him in previous seasons. After an offseason of rest, he will come back rejuvenated and ready to stake his claim as the best dual-threat QB in the league. Hurts’ season can start here as he gets back to his best for the season opener.
Drake Maye looked like the full package in college, but these will be his first snaps as a Patriot. Coach Mayo will just want reps from his starter as he will play against a shiny new secondary. Philadelphia made a couple of great draft picks at defensive back in DeJean, Mitchell and re-signing C. J. Gardner-Johnson. Gardner-Johnson was part of the Eagles’ defence two years ago who put up historic sack numbers. They already look like an improved side after targeting their biggest weakness in 2023.
New England Patriots vs Philadelphia Eagles Betting Tips
The Philadelphia Eagles are the favourites for this game. They have more experience in their team, and we will probably see Jalen Hurts make his first appearance of the preseason. The Patriots have the home advantage and may have a stronger QB this season in Drake Maye, but they have a way to go before reaching the Eagles’ level. NFL betting markets favour Philadelphia and we like a wager on the Eagles.
Online betting will favour Jalen Hurts to score a touchdown against New England. Hurts was arguably the best quarterback in the league two seasons ago and his efforts in the rush were unstoppable. He had a down year in comparison in 2023 but was playing injured for much of the campaign. Bet on a fresher and fitter Hurts to score a touchdown in this game.
Spread betting is an option for this game. Football betting markets have the spread set at 2.5, which looks like an easy cover. The Eagles defeated the Ravens in their first preseason game by three. They also beat the Patriots by five the last time they clashed. Bet on the Eagles to cover the spread in this fixture.
Preseason games are typically lower-scoring affairs, owing to teams rolling on practice players and starters for reps. As such, our online betting site has the total points set low at 33.5. The Patriots went over that line last week but the Eagles went under. We see a more free-flowing game on offence here and like a bet on the over.
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New England Patriots Team News
They diagnosed defensive tackle Christian Barmore with blood clots last week and there is no timetable for his return. Sophomore receiver Demario Douglas missed the preseason opener with a hand injury. He could play against Philly. Drake Maye will get his first reps in as a Patriot as he heads into 2024 as the starting QB. Receiving tandem, Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker will also appear in Patriots jerseys for the first time.
Philadelphia Eagles Team News
C.J. Gardner Johnson has picked up a shoulder injury and is questionable in this game. Albert Okwuegbunam Jr. sat out of practice on Sunday and rookie cornerback Mekhi Gardner sat out Monday. Both are questionable to play against New England. Jalen Hurts will start at quarterback. Cooper DeJean is on course to recover from a hamstring injury this week and could make his first appearance for the Eagles.
