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Best bets and game preview for Eagles vs Giants
The Giants are a live underdog in Saquon Barkley’s return to the Meadowlands
| WHO | Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Giants |
| WHEN | Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. EST |
| WHERE | MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, New Jersey |
| HOW | Fox, NFL Sunday Ticket |
The New York Giants (2-4) will host the Philadelphia Eagles (3-2) this Sunday in an NFC East divisional matchup. The Eagles have dominated the series of late, winning five of seven meetings (including playoffs) over the last three seasons and 17 of the last 21 matchups going back to 2014.
This game will be a homecoming of sorts for Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, who was selected by the Giants with the second overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and played six seasons for New York before signing with Philadelphia this offseason. Giants owner John Mara famously said on HBO’s Hard Knocks this summer, “I’ll have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia,” so there could be some sleepless nights for Mr. Mara leading up to this game.
Barkley has performed as advertised for the Eagles so far this season, although he’s coming off his worst game of the year as he averaged 2.7 yards per carry and finished with 47 against the Cleveland Browns last week. Philadelphia posted an ugly 20-16 victory over the Browns, doing little to change the narrative around a team that has underperformed in 2024.
Despite having only two wins, the Giants arguably have exceeded their low preseason expectations. Prior to the season, one would have expected the Eagles to be much bigger favorites than the current point spread of -3. Here are the current betting odds for Eagles vs. Giants at some of the best online sportsbooks. These odds are current as of the most recent update of this article and will be updated daily throughout the week.
| Market | FanDuel | DraftKings | Caesars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eagles spread | -3 (-120) | -3.5 (-105) | -3 (-120) |
| Giants spread | +3 (-102) | +3.5 (-115) | +3 (+100) |
| Eagles moneyline | -172 | -170 | -170 |
| Giants moneyline | +144 | +142 | +143 |
| Over | Over 42.5 (-115) | Over 42.5 (-112) | Over 42.5 (-110) |
| Under | Under 42.5 (-105) | Under 42.5 (-108) | Under 42.5 (-110) |
Why to bet on the Eagles
If the Eagles play the way to their capabilities, they should cover the spread easily. They simply are the more talented team with advantages all over the field. However, they have not been playing that way this season. Prior to their bye week, they were trounced 33-16 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and they squeaked out a four-point win as 8.5-point favorites at home against one of the worst teams in the NFL in the Cleveland (32nd in DVOA and 30th in net EPA) last week.
The best reason for optimism is that their two star wide receivers, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, are healthy now. Brown previously missed three contests with a hamstring injury and Smith was out for one game with a concussion. Philadelphia’s offense simply was not the same without Brown. With both wideouts back last week, the Eagles still were not in their peak form from 2022, when they were third in the league in scoring, but they certainly looked much better. Both Brown and Smith made huge plays against Cleveland, as each recorded a touchdown while Brown made a game-sealing deep catch.
There also is the Barkley factor. This might be a more anecdotal than fact-based opinion, but Barkley just feels like a sure bet to explode against his former team. Not only is there an emotional angle to the high expectations for Barkley, but it’s also a great matchup for him. The Giants are allowing a league-high 5.2 yards per carry, while Barkley enters with a career-best 5.3 average.
Between Brown, Smith and Barkley, not to mention quarterback Jalen Hurts, the Eagles have the offensive weapons to win this game convincingly. The only question is whether or not they will play well enough to do so.
Why to bet on the Giants
The best reason to bet on the Giants this week has more to do with uncertainty surrounding Philadelphia than it does any degree of confidence one can have in New York. Still, the Giants have shown this season that they are capable of capitalizing when their opponent underperforms. Just look at what they did two weeks ago, when they went to Seattle and defeated the Seahawks as 7-point underdogs.
Another factor favoring the Giants is the potential return of rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers, who has missed the last two games with a concussion. Before his injury, Nabers was showing he has what it takes to be one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Through his first four games, he was leading the league in targets (52) and receptions (35) and was second in receiving yards, averaging 96.5 per game. He is still tied for the league lead with seven catches of 20 or more yards.
If Nabers clears protocol before this game, he could be matched up with fellow 2024 first-round draft pick Quinyon Mitchell, who has been playing very well for the Eagles. Philadelphia’s top cornerback Darius Slay left last week’s game with a knee injury, and if he misses this contest, Mitchell could have his hands full with Nabers.
As noted above, the Giants have not won many recent meetings with Philadelphia, save for a blowout victory during the Eagles’ historic collapse at the end of last season. But New York has been competitive, going 6-2 against the spread in the regular season versus Philadelphia over the last four years. Between Nabers’ expected return and the Eagles’ lackluster play, it would not be surprising to see another tight game between these division rivals.
Best bet for Eagles vs. Giants: Giants +3.5 (-115, DraftKings)
Going back to the middle of last season, when its collapse began, Philadelphia is a paltry 2-10 against the spread. The team simply has not done enough to inspire confidence that it is starting to turn things around. Head coach Nick Sirianni had to apologize this week for arguing with negative fans after the game against Cleveland, which is just the latest episode in a chronicle of dysfunction in the organization.
It would almost be tempting to take the Giants’ moneyline in this game, but that’s a bit too risky to suggest as the best bet. New York absolutely is a live underdog, especially if Nabers returns. Getting the key number of three plus the hook in a game the Giants certainly could win outright is a very solid bet.