Eagles vs 49ers Pick, SNF Best Bet

Week 4’s Sunday Night Football matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers is the ultimate battle of attrition. These might literally be the two most injured teams in the NFL.

It’s actually wild. It’s so bad the Eagles had only one WR able to practise this week. Here’s a list of players either out or hurting for both sides:

Eagles: RB Miles Sanders (glute), WR Alshon Jeffery (foot), WR DeSean Jackson (hamstring), WR Jalen Reagor (thumb), WR J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (calf), TE Dallas Goedert (ankle), OT Jason Peters (illness), OT Lane Johnson (ankle), OT Andre Dillard (biceps), G Brandon Brooks (achilles), G Isaac Seumalo (knee), DT Fletcher Cox (abdomen), DE Vinny Curry (hamstring), CB Avonte Maddox (ankle)

49ers: QB Jimmy Garoppolo (ankle), RB Raheem Mostert (knee), RB Tevin Coleman (knee), WR Deebo Samuel (knee), TE George Kittle (knee), TE Jordan Reed (knee), C Weston Richburg (knee), edge Nick Bosa (knee), edge Dee Ford (back), DL Solomon Thomas (knee), LB Dre Greenlaw (quadricep), CB Emmanuel Moseley (concussion), CB Richard Sherman (calf), CB K’Waun Williams (hip), CB Ahkello Witherspoon (hamstring)

All of that naturally factors into what might happen Sunday evening.

Eagles 49ers line: San Francisco -7 Total 46 at BetRivers

They proved in 2017 and 2018 that they’re an extremely mentally strong team that is resilient and deep. Everyone’s counting them out following a winless September, but this team has responded extremely well when counted out before.

Carson Wentz is the NFL’s lowest-rated passer, but the former MVP candidate could wake up at any moment. In this case, he’ll get to face a severely depleted San Francisco defensive front. If he can break out, a relatively healthy Eagles defense could be desperate and inspired enough to control a diminished San Francisco offense in a straight-up Philly victory.

We’d all be wondering how the books spotted Philly a full touchdown, and we’d chalk up to San Francisco’s last two opponents, the New York Giants and New York Jets, being really bad. Trend Dummy points out that the 49ers are 0-12-1 ATS the last 13 times they were favored by at least six points at home (since 2016).

WHY THE 49ERS WILL COVER THE SPREAD

They somehow haven’t missed a beat without a slew of key players, mainly because Kyle Shanahan is one of the best coaches in professional sports. And now they’re actually getting healthier, with Kittle and Witherspoon seemingly on track to return.

Garoppolo’s replacement, Nick Mullens, also excelled in his first start of the year last week in New York, and San Francisco’s offensive line remains strong enough to handle Philly’s famous defensive front.

What’s more, the 49ers have failed to cover only five spreads in their last 20 games. They often quite simply get the job done.

This is one of the trickiest picks of the season thus far because of all the injuries, the fact we still can’t fully account for the value of home-field advantage and the unquantifiable coaching element that has to be taken into consideration.

The Eagles need it more, but they also look a lot more lost. Then again, laying seven points is scary considering Philly’s track record and the fan-less element at Levi’s Stadium. The 49ers are the safer pick, though, because the Eagles offense just can’t be trusted at all right now. Just hope that even if it isn’t a blowout, you’ll saved by a push.