There’s a lot to be determined before Sunday’s game between the New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles in the final week of the NFL’s regular season, but is there value in the current odds?
Here’s what each team has going for and against them:
- The Eagles were 13-1 and a win away from clinching home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs going into a Christmas Eve game at Dallas. Without starting quarterback Jalen Hurts, Philly lost that game and again to New Orleans on New Year’s Day to drop to 13-3. They still need to win to earn the No. 1 seed.
- Philly’s Week 18 opponent, the Giants, clinched a playoff spot and are locked into the No. 6 seed in the NFC playoffs. They will play the division winner with the third-best record in the opening weekend of the playoffs regardless of how the result Sunday in Philadelphia.
Giants vs. Eagles Odds: NYG a Huge Underdog Despite Many Unknowns
Before we get into the unique situations facing each team, let’s take a look at the odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
| TEAM | POINT SPREAD | OVER-UNDER TOTAL | MONEYLINE |
| New York Giants | +13.5 | 42.5 | +600 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | -13.5 | 42.5 | -850 |
The first question is whether Hurts will play for the Eagles. With this now a must-win game, is his shoulder healthy enough to take the field before the playoffs? Given the stakes and the margin for error now being zero for Philly, one would assume that if he can play, he will.
Gardner Minshew played fairly well against Dallas and to start against the Saints, but a costly pick-six in the fourth quarter led to New Orleans’ 20-10 victory.
The Giants, meanwhile, took care of business in a 38-10 destruction of Indianapolis at home to secure their playoff berth. The win came in one of quarterback Daniel Jones’ best games, accounting for four touchdowns and zero turnovers. He was pulled from the game in the middle of the fourth quarter. That move by head coach Brian Daboll gave the Giants fans a chance to acknowledge their QB, and they did so by chanting his name.
The question here is whether Jones, Saquon Barkley, or other key Giants players will play a full game (or at all) against the Eagles. They now have an opportunity to rest up a bit before their first-round playoff game in two weeks.
These Odds-Defining Decisions Remain Unknowns for Giants and Eagles
Given the line of -13.5, one would assume that the oddsmakers believe that Hurts will play. And the Giants had no answer for Hurts and the Eagles in a 48-22 loss in Week 14.
Based on his comments to the media on Monday, Daboll didn’t indicate one way or another which direction he will go in.
There are two schools of thought whether to start or sit key players. Both methods have affected the Giants in recent years.
In 2020, the Eagles were in last place and taking on Washington in the final game of the season. Then-Eagles coach Doug Peterson didn’t exactly try to beat Washington in that game by not playing several starters. If the Eagles won that game, the Giants would’ve won the division and reached the postseason that year.
In 2007, the Giants were in a similar position that they find themselves in now. They were locked into the playoff seed when hosting the 15-0 New England Patriots in the final game of the season. Instead of allowing the Patriots to ease their way to a perfect regular season, Tom Coughlin made the Pats earn it by playing his starters.
New England won that game 38-35. But the decision showed the Giants that his coach had faith in his team to compete with anyone. The Giants took those lessons to heart by marching through the NFC playoffs and winning the rematch with the Patriots when it really counted in Super Bowl XLII.
Is There Value in Giants +13.5 in Odds vs. Eagles?
It may be considered too early to place this bet, but that’s a lot of points to give the Giants, especially with a defense that has played well in recent weeks. Daboll may choose to rest Jones and Barkley. With the way the Giants try to control the flow of the game by running the ball, however, they could keep it close enough to cover that spread even with reserves playing much of the game.
