It's time for another prediction and pick for Week 8 action in the NFL as we head over to the NFC East for this classic rivalry. The first-place Philadelphia Eagles (6-1) will visit our nation's capital to take on the Washington Commanders (3-4) in a heated showdown. Check out our NFL odds series for our Eagles-Commanders prediction and pick.
The Philadelphia Eagles are currently leading the NFC East and come into this game off their most impressive win of the season, taking down the Dolphins 31-17 on Sunday Night Football. It was a statement win as they bounced back from their tough loss against the New York Jets. They head into this rivalry at 2-1 in their last three meetings against Washington hoping to advance to 7-1 on the season.
The Washington Commanders are coming into this game following a bad loss to the New York Giants in a game that saw them score just seven points on offense. It's the second time this year that the Commanders have failed to score double-digits and they'll have a tough task in facing Philadelphia's potent offense. This will be an important game for the Commanders to stay alive in their division.
Here are the Eagles-Commanders NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Eagles-Commanders Odds
Philadelphia Eagles: -7 (-112)
Washington Commanders: +7 (-108)
Over: 43.5 (-105)
Under: 43.5 (-115)
How to Watch Eagles vs. Commanders Week 8
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET/ 10:00 a.m. PT
TV: FOX
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial), NFL Sunday Ticket if out-of-market
Why The Eagles Could Cover The Spread
Head Coach Nick Sirianni and the Eagles showed every bit of themselves on national television by shutting down the NFL's most potent offense and made a massive statement beating the Dolphins last week. They're instantly back in the conversation as Super Bowl contenders and there's a very short list of teams that could give this Eagles team a run for their money. AJ Brown is having a Pro Bowl year for them and cooked the Dolphins' secondary last week with 137 yards and a touchdown on 10 catches. D'Andre Swift is also having himself a year and their offense looks unstoppable when he's breaking 15+ yard runs.
The Commanders actually stuck around in the first meeting between these two teams during the 31-34 Eagles win, so this game may have some added meaning for Jalen Hurts and his teammates. Their offensive line has been able to stay healthy and they'll have their hands full stopping the Washington pass rush. However, the Commanders' pass defense has been bad all year, so expect Jalen Hurts to air the ball out to Devonta Smith and AJ Brown in this one. If they can keep rolling like they did last week, this game shouldn't be close.
Why The Commanders Could Cover The Spread
The Washington Commanders have had a very rough stretch of five games in which they've gone 1-4. In their losses, they've been outscored 61-125 and haven't been able to mount many comeback efforts. Much of this is partly due to the inexperience play at quarterback and their inconsistencies on defense. The one bright spot has been the solid output from running back Brian Robinson, but his play alone hasn't been enough to really spark this Commanders team. Their defense has been giving up touchdowns at an alarming rate and their offense has trouble keeping up in high-scoring games.
The Commanders actually had a close contest against this Eagles team early in October, so they'll have confidence knowing they can come close to another win this time around. In that game, the Commanders were able to have no turnovers as a team and managed to score 31 points. Brian Robinson Jr. is almost a sure option for them inside of the red zone, but Sam Howell will have to make smart throws and put his team in good position to drive down the field and control some of this clock. They'll also need their defense to wake up and provide some push on the line of scrimmage if they want to keep this game manageable.
Final Eagles-Commanders Prediction & Pick
It seems as though NFC East teams always manage to play each other closely and the last meeting between these two teams was no different. I expect this time around to be a different story as the Eagles are much more dialed in defensively ahead of this game. The Commanders' defense has also been the team's most glaring weakness this season, so expect them to have trouble against the dual-threat attack of Jalen Hurts. For our prediction, let's go with the Philadelphia Eagles to cover the spread and take home their seventh win of the season.
Final Eagles-Commanders Prediction & Pick: Philadelphia Eagles -7 (-112)