NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS @ PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 
Vegas Line: Eagles + 3
Rob’s Line: Eagles + 4.5
This promised to be an intriguing matchup and I had the Eagles pegged to possibly pull the upset, but then came Thursday. Philadelphia’s stud cornerback, Nnamdi Asomugha, suffered a hyperextended knee in practice which makes him extremely doubtful for Sunday. They coped without fellow corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in last week’s outstanding performance in New York against the Giants, but to lose Asomugha with Tom Brady, Wes Welker and Rob Gronkowski coming to town is a savage blow. He may yet suit up, but the odds are slim and even if he does, how mobile will he be?
The Eagles also had to do without quarterback Michael Vick and receiver Jeremy Maclin last Sunday, but as I wrote before that game, Philly had lost all the games they could possibly afford to this season and with absolutely nothing to lose they were suddenly dangerous. That proved correct and last week was also the first time all season they’d gone into a game as the underdog. As per last week, the same applies this Sunday…nothing to lose, injury ravaged and the underdog.
If you do have to turn to your backup quarterback at any time during the season, you could do worse than have Vince Young. While he did throw three interceptions last week, he also helped to convert six third downs on the game winning drive. On the road in NY with the crowd against you and your season on the line, that’s fine work on Young’s part and he’ll certainly be full of confidence heading into this week. That confidence will be boosted by the fact that New England’s pass defense ranks dead last in the NFL, but we mustn’t escape the fact that the Patriots are thrown against quite frequently simply because they’re normally ahead in games.
Tom Brady (eventually) helped the Pats beat up on Kansas City last Monday night and rabbit-in-headlights QB Tyler Palko, but a truer reflection of their current form came two weeks ago when they destroyed the Jets on the road in the second half. Brady being Brady, he’s capable of picking apart any secondary and if Asomugha doesn’t play, it could be a case of the Eagles trying to keep up with the Patriots in a shootout (heck, it could happen even if Asomugha does play). If it comes to that, the spread could be made to look redundant as it’s almost a case of whoever scores last wins so I’m a little torn here as to what to do.
Based purely on Philadelphia having so many injuries and not wishing to bet against Bill Belichick and Brady with that in mind, I’m taking the Patriots to cover. Had Asomugha’s fitness not been in doubt, I’d have gone with the Eagles and the points, but he really is that elite of a cover corner.
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