Philadelphia Eagles 2021-2022 Season Preview, Odds and Win Totals

A lot can change in three years in the NFL.

Nick Foles had come off the bench to replace an injured Carson Wentz in the midst of an MVP-type season, leading the Birds to a stunning Super Bowl victory over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

Now, both Foles and Wentz are gone, as is their championship winning head coach in Doug Pederson, and Tom Brady tacked on two more Super Bowls to his illustrious career with the second as a member of the Bucs!

The Eagles' flight to a 4-11-1 season opened up a lot of eyes into multiple issues this team had been able to cover up the last few years: a broken-down offensive line, aging veterans, and a communication breakdown from the front office on down.

As a new generation begins under the Nick Sirianni era, the Eagles will have plenty of questions to answer as they look to silence the many doubters who expect them to head up the back of the NFC East division. One in particular: will they trade for a starting quarterback such as Deshaun Watson of the Texans?

Philadelphia Eagles Team Outlook

Sirianni begins the conversation as the new head man in town. The former offensive coordinator under Frank Reich, the Super Bowl-winning OC in Philadelphia, will need to make a major impact to help turn last year's 26th ranked offense in points scored. Like the Eagles in 2017, the Colts over the past few seasons established themselves into one of the premier offensive lines in the game, putting a high emphasis on protecting the quarterback. Philadelphia finished 19th a season ago in Pro Football Focus' offensive line ratings, but if healthy, have a chance to climb back into the top 10.

One positive from last season was the play of second-round quarterback Jalen Hurts in his rookie year. Despite his 1-3 record as a starter, Hurts threw for six touchdowns, 1,061 yards, and also showed his dynamic athleticism as a runner, rushing 63 times for 354 yards and an additional three touchdowns. A 6:4 TD/INT rate isn't ideal, but when it's 9:4, it looks much better. New offensive coordinator Shane Steichen could play a major factor in Hurts' development, after spending 2020 coaching last year's Offensive Rookie of the Year, and now No. 2 favorite to win NFL MVP in Justin Herbert.

The Eagles also have to determine what Miles Sanders can ultimately be. Sanders improved slightly in his second season, but after lofty expectations in his first year, it was still considered a bit of a disappointment. Now, multiple reports from camp have backup running back Boston Scott taking a high number of snaps in the passing game, limiting the potential upside for Sanders in his third season.

Wide receiver has a chance to go from a major weakness to a spot of strength for the Eagles this year after drafting Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith at pick No. 10. He'll play a major role both on the outside and in the slot alongside last year's first round pick in Jalen Reagor, who needs a bounceback season after an injury-plagued year 1. He'll be joined by breakout receiver Travis Fulgham along with last year's leading receiver Greg Ward. Depth was an issue for the Eagles last year at this spot, but shouldn't be in 2021.

At tight end, trade rumors continue to swirl around longtime Eagle Zach Ertz, who for the first time in years was outperformed by another tight end on the roster: Dallas Goedert. Ertz, despite seeing seven less targets than Ertz caught 10 more passes at season's end.

On defense, the Eagles really struggled against the run; ranking 28th in the league a season ago. Fletcher Cox continued to play well, but he and Brandon Graham will need their surrounding cast to help out.

Alex Singleton had a strong season at outside linebacker, leading the team with 120 combined tackles. But that was one of the only bright spots on that part of the defense. The signing of Eric Wilson, after a very solid year for the Vikings should help solidify that position.

At corner, Darius Slay struggled in his first year in Philadelphia after years as an above-average shutdown corner in Detroit. If he can perform to his capabilities, that will be a massive upgrade for the Eagles on the outside. Philadelphia also signed Vikings safety Anthony Harris after a career season.

Philadelphia Eagles 2021 NFL Draft

The Eagles made it two consecutive first round wide receivers, selecting DeVonta Smith at No. 10 overall in a trade with the Cowboys. Smith caught 117 passes for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns for the Crimson Tide a season ago, pulling away in a very crowded wide receiver room alongside Jaylen Waddle, who actually went ahead of him to the Miami Dolphins in the draft.

In the second round, the Eagles took another Alabama player, selecting center Landon Dickerson. They addressed the defensive side of the ball with their next two picks: Milton Williams, a defensive tackle out of Louisiana Tech in round 3, and Zech McPhearson, a corner from Texas Tech in the fourth round. Kenneth Gainwell could also be a name to remember in fantasy football circles, as Philadelphia nabbed the Memphis running back in the fifth round.

Philadelphia Eagles Team Odds: Division (+475), Conference (+4500), Super Bowl (+8000)

Philadelphia's odds are one of the worst in the NFL in all three areas this season. They're dead last according to the oddsmakers at WynnBET to win the NFC East, coming in at +475. The Cowboys, Washington, and Giants all rank ahead in their respective odds, with Dallas being the division favorites.

As for NFC/Super Bowl odds, the Eagles rank second worst in the NFC at +4500 to win the conference. Only the Lions have higher odds at +6000. At +8000 odds to win a championship, the Eagles trail teams like the Falcons and Bengals, who enter the season at +7500.

Philadelphia Eagles Regular Season Win Total: 6.5 WINS | OVER (-140), UNDER (+110)

Ben Heisler:

Nick Sirianni isn't quite my cup of tea as a first time head coach, but it could all be moot if Jalen Hurts continues to showcase his abilities as a lethal runner and passer in this league.

I'm a big buyer in Hurts, and think he's been wronged with all the trade rumors surrounding a potential replacement at quarterback. With nobody to throw to, a banged up offensive line, and a malcontent starting quarterback that was benched in Carson Wentz, all Wentz did was put his team in a position to win with his playmaking skills during his four-game stretch as a starter. As long as he can remain healthy, every other part of the offense should be improved, likely putting Hurts in a better position to succeed.

Normally, I tend to side with the oddsmakers, but in this case, I'm buying the Eagles to be better than most would anticipate. With added weapons like DeVonta Smith as an explosive weapon in the middle of the field, Sirianni can use his two talented tight ends in Ertz and Goedert along with a deep threat in Reagor to help scheme up plenty of space for Hurts to operate. All he needs is time, and I think you'll see substantial improvement on both sides of the ball.

Philadelphia's not a playoff team, but I expect them to challenge Washington and Dallas for most of the year for the division title. I like them to clear that 6.5 number fairly easily.

PREDICTION: OVER 6.5 (-140)

EXACT WIN TOTAL: 8 WINS (+500)

Donnavan Smoot:

This is not going to be an interesting season my Eagles. With Doug Pederson and Carson Wentz gone, the last remnants of the 2017 team are on the defensive side of the ball. While the defense wasn’t awful last year, it was closer to the bottom of the league than the top. The one area Philadelphia was still dominant in was its pass rush. The Eagles were third in the league in sacks per game (3.1), but the issue still lies behind the front four. Philadelphia was 23rd in rushing yards allowed and 29th in interceptions. If the Eagles are going to be competitive, the back end of the defense needs to step up.

As for the offensive unit, it will be a work in progress for the foreseeable future. Jalen Hurts is set to start and he still has a lot to prove. Miles Sanders and the recuperating offensive line are going to have to keep the offense afloat, as rookie DeVonta Smith still has to prove he can be a No. 1 option in the passing game. 

The Eagles had 9 games decided by at least one possession. They are able to stay in games for a little bit, but eventually run out of gas. With a little more playmaking, and a great amount of breaks falling their way, the Eagles could make this season better than what’s expected. 

As a fan, I would love to see that happen. However, I don’t believe it will. Despite the NFC East being weak, Philadelphia is the weakest and is in the middle of a rebuild. This season will be about figuring out who is leaving and who will be a part of the process for the long haul.

PREDICTION: UNDER 6.5 WINS (+110) 

EXACT WIN TOTAL: 6 WINS (+300)

Peter Dewey: 

The Jalen Hurts era is officially underway in Philadelphia, and he and new head coach Nick Sirianni will have their work cut out for them in 2021. The Eagles have a young offense with Miles Sanders, Jalen Reagor, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert, but it’s going to be up to Hurts’ progress if the Eagles want to hit the over on their 6.5-win projection. 

Philadelphia actually had the 14th-ranked defense in football last season in terms of yardage, but it struggled to win games because of the constant turnovers by Carson Wentz early in the season. 

Hurts adds a new dynamic in the running game, and if he can take care of the ball in 2021, the Eagles should be due for some positive regression. I’ll take them to just go over their projection with a seven-win campaign. 

PREDICTION: OVER 6.5 WINS (-140)

EXACT WIN TOTAL: 7 WINS (+200)

Iain MacMillan:

I don’t fully understand the reason that the Eagles organization seems to not trust Jalen Hurts as their quarterback. There were rumors that they were going to draft a new starter in the offseason, and now there are whispers that they’re interested in Deshaun Watson of the Texas despite his ongoing legal troubles.

Did Hurts have an amazing rookie season? Absolutely not. But he was thrown into a no-win situation on a team whose season was all but over and reportedly had a locker room divide between players and coaches. Not to mention Philadelphia’s offensive line allowed the most sacks per game in the NFL at 4.1.

Hurts did the best he could do given the situation, and he showed enough to at least be given a fair shot in the 2021 season. 

The Eagles may not have been able to protect the quarterback, but they were one of the best run blocking lines in the league. Philadelphia ranked third in yards per carry, averaging 5.0 per rush.

They also had a serviceable defense last season, ranking 18th in opponent yards per game and 20th in opponent points per game. Sure those numbers aren’t great, but the narrative that the Eagles will be one of the worst teams in the NFL this season doesn’t quite hold up when looking at last year’s squad. With a new coaching staff and Carson Wentz shipped off to Indianapolis, the Eagles could find moderate success in the NFC East. I’ll grab the over on their win total.

PREDICTION: OVER 6.5 WINS (-140)

EXACT WIN TOTAL: 7 WINS (+200)

Will the Philadelphia Eagles Make the Playoffs? | MISS THE PLAYOFFS (-400), MAKE THE PLAYOFFS (+270)

Ben Heisler: 

The Eagles won't make the playoffs, but they'll be in the race throughout much of the season. Last year, everything that could go wrong, did go wrong, but this year there's a change in philosophy and a new coach looking to establish a positive vibe in camp.

I also think the Cowboys aren't as good as everyone expects (although I did predict them to win the division) and Washington's defense is a top 5 unit in the league. While nowhere near the best division in the NFL, the NFC East will be improved and the Eagles' surprise season will be a major reason why. Close, but no playoff cigar.

PREDICTION: NO (-400)

Donnavan Smoot:

The Eagles will not make the playoffs. The other teams in the division are clearly better and there is no way Philadelphia sneaks into a wild card position. It will be a miracle if the Eagles make the postseason, but I can’t envision a scenario where they do. 

Hurts showed flashes of being able to run the offense last season, but there's just too much to work out. The defense would need to carry the team, since the offense has question marks. Frankly, nobody knows what’s going on in Philadelphia. All we know, according to Nick Srianni, is that there will be systems in place. 

I don’t believe in those systems right now. 

PREDICTION: NO (-400)

Peter Dewey:  

I am a believer in Hurts after he flashed (specifically upsetting the New Orleans Saints) at the end of the 2020 season, but I don’t think the Eagles are good enough to be a playoff team in 2021. 

Philadelphia has a lot of veterans that it will need to turn back the clock on defense, and I still think the receiving core around Hurts has a lot of questions between Smith’s injury and Reagor’s inconsistency as a rookie. 

The Cowboys and Washington Football Team have much better rosters, and odds, to win the NFC East, and I’m predicting that only the division winner will make the postseason this season. Count me out on an Eagles playoff berth. 

PREDICTION: NO (-400)

Iain MacMillan:

I just gave the Eagles praise when predicting their win total, but I can’t keep that up when talking about their chances to make the playoffs. Given how strong the other divisions are in the NFC, the Eagles only hope of making the playoffs is by winning the division, and I think they’re significantly behind Washington and Dallas heading into 2021.

The Cowboys will have one of the best offenses in the NFL, and Washington will have one of the best defenses. The Eagles, while maybe not being a terrible football team, won’t exactly have an elite unit on either side of the football.

We won’t see Philadelphia in the postseason in 2021.

PREDICTION: NO (-400)

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Every day from the start of NFL Training Camp, the BetSided team of Ben Heisler, Donnavan Smoot, Peter Dewey and Iain MacMillan are breaking down the win totals, playoff and Super Bowl odds for every team in the NFL.

Check back Tuesday at 1 p.m. EDT when we preview the betting outlook for the Buffalo Bills and check out our earlier team-by-team betting previews.

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