Entering Week 6, the Philadelphia Eagles are in trouble. A losing record and a smattering of injuries have the pressure mounting for this team, and with quarterback Jalen Hurts now sidelined as well, things may not get much better anytime soon. For the opposing Carolina Panthers, though, this is a perfect opportunity to steal a win.
Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. ET in Philadelphia. Here’s a preview, prediction and pick for Panthers vs. Eagles in NFL Week 6.
Panthers vs. Eagles prediction, preview
The situation has gone from bad to worse in Philly. Losers of three straight games, the Eagles have a couple of stars on the injury report and are severely undermanned for this matchup. Saquon Barkley (hamstring) has been ruled out for the second consecutive week and Jalen Hurts is expected to miss some time due to a blood clot that was discovered earlier in the week. To add to that, edge defender Jalyx Hunt (knee/ankle) is also out, and of course, offensive lineman Cam Jurgens was traded away prior to Week 5. The Eagles aren’t necessarily punting on the season, but they may find themselves hovering on the brink. They’re 29th in scoring and 30th in EPA/play, also falling 31st in offensive success rate. The lone bright spot this week is that DeVonta Smith (hamstring/toe) could return from injury, but the question of who will throw the ball does linger. Andy Dalton is the veteran in the room, but Tanner McKee has earned some praise during his time in Philadelphia. Either way, it’s tough to see things getting much better while operating without the legs of an offense that’s already performed so poorly. While Philly’s defense isn’t bad by any means, that unit also sits 13th in points allowed and 24th in EPA/play allowed. In this matchup, they may find themselves hard-pressed by an up-and-coming opponent.
The Panthers are just 2-2 as they come off their bye week, but they’re in a significantly better spot than the team they face. Carolina squeaked into the playoffs by winning a weak NFC South last season, but it seems like this squad has taken a step forward. Last time we saw them on the field, the duo of Bryce Young and Tetairoa McMillan torched the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football. Clearly, that offensive pairing is working – the Panthers are 11th in scoring, eighth in EPA/play and sixth in EPA/dropback. Young is enjoying the best season of his career with 1,268 passing yards and nine touchdowns to just two interceptions, while McMillan has 385 receiving yards and a pair of scores on 37 receptions. Jalen Coker (quad) should also rejoin the fray this week after an injury sidelined him, adding the breakout wideout back into the mix after recording 18 catches for 222 yards and two TDs over the first three weeks. Even Chuba Hubbard has gotten in on the action plenty, assuming lead-back duties with 390 scrimmage yards and five total touchdowns. This offense is truly becoming a unit other teams should fear with their pass-happy approach and standout receivers. Defensively, Carolina ranks ninth in points allowed, though the group comes in at 22nd in EPA/play allowed. It should be worth noting that while the pass rush comes in at 16th in pressure rate, they’re fourth in average time to pressure at 2.47 seconds.
Panthers vs. Eagles pick, best bet
DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Panthers as a -3 favorite on the road with -170 odds to win on the Moneyline. The Eagles are a +142 home underdog to win outright with the game total set at 39.5 combined points.
This spread feels like it should probably be a little bit wider. The Philadelphia defense is quite solid, sure, but it’s not the truly fearsome unit that we’ve seen in past years. While the secondary looks good on paper, they’re also 24th in EPA/dropback allowed through the first five weeks. Why does that spell trouble? Carolina slots in at second in PROE with a mark of 9.2%, so the offense is airing the ball out far more than most other teams, even in neutral or positive game scripts. That’s what has allowed Young to blossom through the early going – he’s been empowered by this coaching staff and a new playcaller to just sling it, unlike last year when he was insulated by the run game until forced to throw. Bettors should expect the Panthers to come out of the gate swinging and look to move the ball aggressively via the pass early on. With a backup quarterback and no Barkley, the Eagles’ own offense should have some serious issues trying to keep up, too. It’s highly unlikely they’ll have the firepower to match their opponent, so I like the Panthers to cover that -3 line with relative ease and would consider playing alt spreads further in their favor as well.
Best Bet: CAR Panthers -3 (-118)
- With Jalen Hurts ruled out, is Tanner McKee a sleeper DFS value pick in Week 6?
- How valuable is Dameon Pierce in Week 6 if Saquon Barkley is ruled out?
- Is Darius Cooper a Week 6 waiver sleeper if DeVonta Smith is out?
- Should you pick up Dameon Pierce for Week 6 with Saquon Barkley and Will Shipley injured?
