New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles have both been to the Super Bowl over the course of the last two seasons, but don't expect to see the stars of those successful campaigns featuring in their preseason Week 2 clash at Gillette Stadium.
The teams have held two joint-practices in Foxborough this week, so it's likely that head coaches Mike Vrabel of the Patriots and Nick Sirianni of the Eagles have already seen enough of their starters going up against the best their opponents have to offer.
Saturday's contest, therefore, is likely to feature the players on the fringes of earning a roster spot and indeed those who are likely to be looking for opportunities elsewhere after roster cut-down day.
The Pats tied 13-13 with Indianapolis Colts in their first preseason contest this summer, while the Eagles were beaten 24-7 by Baltimore Ravens in their opening test.
With reserve players expected to play the majority of the game and most of this week's main objectives having been achieved on the practice field, oddsmakers have found it tough to separate the sides, with the Eagles coming in as slight favorites.
Eagles vs. Patriots betting tips and predictions
Under 36.5 points (-110)
The Eagles won the Super Bowl two seasons ago, but lost in their first playoff game against San Francisco 49ers last year, while the Patriots made an unexpected run to the big game themselves.
Having gone 4-13 in their previous campaign, New England improved to 14-3 in 2025 and saw off Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans and the top-seeded Denver Broncos to become AFC champions.
They were beaten 29-13 by Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl but have clearly raised expectations for the new campaign.
Starting quarterbacks Drake Maye of the Pats and Jalen Hurts of the Eagles are not expected to be seen for very long if they make any appearance at all in this game, though, and the only likely regular starters who are expected to be seen are the younger players who need valuable game experience.
Picking a winner of the contest is therefore tricky and while the Eagles have the greater depth in terms of what will become their final roster, their fourth and fifth-stringers are not likely to have a major edge over their counterparts from the home team.
As such, a bet on the game total is preferred, and going low with under 36.5 points seems the sensible choice.
Both sides pride themselves on their defensive strength and disciplined schemes and that was evident in their first outings of the preseason as the Patriots combined with the Colts to score only 26 points and the Eagles scored just seven in a 31-point game against the Ravens.
New England have to be concerned about the performance of their offensive line, who have not impressed and could struggle again as they go up against an Eagles defense who registered three sacks and two turnovers against the Ravens.
The Eagles got very little from their quarterbacks in their opener, with veteran Andy Dalton starting and completing three of his six pass attempts for just 20 yards, while he was followed by Tanner McKee and rookie Cole Payton as they finished with just 83 net passing yards against Baltimore.
The Pats used only two QBs against the Colts, with former Giants starter Tommy DeVito managing 138 passing yards and a touchdown, while seventh-round draft pick Behren Morton handled the rest of the game and completed seven of 13 pass attempts for 66 yards.
With both sides looking stronger defensively than on offense, a low-scoring game at Gillette Stadium looks likely.
First score method 3-way - Field Goal (+110)
These teams scored only two touchdowns between them last week, with the Patriots posting a second-quarter score from wide receiver Kyle Williams, while the Eagles were shut out entirely until the final three minutes of the game against the Ravens, when Payton connected with Erik Ezukanma for a six-yard score.
That makes a field goal to be the first scoring play look attractive at plus-money for this game.
Four of the six scoring plays in the Patriots' game against the Colts were field goals, with New England kicker Andy Borregales putting the first points on the scoreboard with a 40-yarder in the first quarter.
While he added another from 52 yards in the third quarter, he could have been an even bigger contributor to the total as he missed three further field-goal attempts including a 49-yarder to win the game with 13 seconds remaining.
With both teams finding it hard to reach the end zone at this stage of the season, backing a field goal to be the first scoring play makes plenty of appeal.
Read more betting picks and predictions for NFL on site.
Eagles vs. Patriots odds
Philadelphia Eagles | -120 |
New England Patriots | +100 |
Spread | PHI Eagles -1.5 |
Total Points | O/U 36.5 |
Read the latest NFL news on site.
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
