One of the most cliched statements in sports is that it is tough to repeat as a champion, but the fact of the matter is that there is some real truth to the said statement. This is particularly true in the NFL, where you need to go all the way back to 2005 to find the last time a team managed that feat. We are in the salary cap era, which means that teams are constantly forced to move om players who helped them get to the top of the mountain. There are other issues to deal with, too, with injuries being very high on that list. The Philadelphia Eagles are going to get a shot at repeating this season, but they got there by the skin of their teeth, winning out and getting some help along the way in the final few weeks of the season. The Eagles are going to need to hit the road if they are to end up in Atlanta in a few weeks, starting with a trip to Chicago on Sunday for Wild Card Weekend. The Bears are in as a 6½ point favorite, with the point total for this one set at 41 points.
Swaggy.#DaBears pic.twitter.com/q89ttubmgd
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) January 3, 2019
NFC Wild Card: Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears
Game Information
What: NFC Wild Card: Philadelphia Eagles (9-7) Vs Chicago Bears (12-4)
When: Sunday, January 6, 2019, 4:40 PM ET
Where: Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
TV: NBC
Weather Forecast
Clear: 3°C | 37°F
Humidity: 81%
Wind: 13 MPH E
Stadium Type: Open Air
Why bet on the Philadelphia Eagles?
With 6 weeks left in the regular season, it certainly looked as though the defending champions wouldn’t get anywhere near the playoffs, but they went through that stretch of games with a 5-1 record to get in on the final day of the season. There are a lot of similarities to last year for this team, perhaps none bigger than Nick Foles once again coming off the sidelines to fill in at QB for the injured Carson Wentz. Foles went out of last week’s game with a rib injury, but reports are suggesting that he will be ready to go this coming Sunday afternoon. The Eagles were just 1-2 ATS as a road dog this season, although they did cover the spread in each of their last 3 games overall.
Why bet on the Chicago Bears?
When the playoffs come around, teams want to be sure that they go into the postseason on a positive run of form. It’s more than fair to suggest that the Bears are in the mode, as they closed things out by winning 9 of their last 10 games to close out the season with an impressive 12-4 record. Unlike other teams who rested players ahead of the playoffs, the Bears put out their starters in Week 17, beating the Vikings 24-10, a victory that ousted Minnesota and set up this match-up with the Eagles. Not only did Chicago win 9 of their last 10, but they also went 9-1 ATS during that run. As the home favorite this season, Chicago went 6-0 ATS.
Expert Pick and Prediction
You have to be impressed with the run that the Eagles went on to get into the playoffs, but they may finally meet their match this weekend. There are some concerns with the health of Foles, who is going to need to be at his best to get past the Bears D. I am on Chicago to win and cover.
Predicted Score Philadelphia Eagles 13 | Chicago Bears 24
