NFC East odds update: Can Jalen Hurts save Eagles' season?
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As if the NFC East needed any more drama this season, this week provided easily the craziest three-day stretch yet for the NFL's worst division.
The Giants beat the Seahawks on the road Sunday with a backup quarterback to take the division lead. On Monday, Washington ended the Steelers' perfect season to pull back into a tie for first place. Then Tuesday, after another disappointing showing from Carson Wentz, the Eagles finally named Jalen Hurts as the team's starting quarterback, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
It was just over a month ago that Philadelphia was the prohibitive favorite to win this division at -165, and only two weeks since oddsmakers still had them with the shortest odds to make the playoffs among NFC East teams. Those odds have since plummeted to 14-1, tied with the Cowboys for the division's worst price.
| Which team will win NFC East? | Odds |
|---|---|
| New York Giants | -140 |
| Washington Football Team | +165 |
| Dallas Cowboys | +1400 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | +1400 |
With the season in peril, the Eagles are turning to their rookie quarterback, who showed flashes in Sunday's loss to the Packers but still finished 5-for-12 with 109 passing yards, a touchdown, and an interception in 26 snaps. He also rushed five times for 29 yards, with 25 of those coming on the offense's lone scoring drive in Hurts' second series.
If Hurts is even an average starter over the next four weeks, it could do wonders for a Philly offense beset by injuries, turnovers, and terrible quarterback play. In 12 starts, Wentz leads the league in interceptions (15) and ranks 27th in QBR (49.2) among qualified quarterbacks. He's also been sacked a league-high 50 times and has 10 fumbles, second-most in the NFL.
Hurts' mobility should help him survive the onslaught of injuries along the Eagles' O-line, but he might not be the answer to Philadelphia's turnover woes. Hurts' interception rate in college (1.9%) is only marginally better than what Wentz posted at North Dakota State (2.3%), and his turnover margins in the NFL - one interception and three fumbles in 59 snaps - aren't encouraging, even in a small sample size.
One silver lining is three of the Eagles' final four opponents rank in the bottom 12 in takeaways, though the Saints provide an early test for Hurts this week. If Philadelphia can protect the ball and force Taysom Hill into similarly tough spots Sunday, it's not crazy to think the team could rip off a four-game win streak to end the season. But even that might not be enough to take this division.
Who will win the NFC East?The Eagles are still 1.5 games back of the Giants and Washington, and they'd essentially need a perfect run and some luck to win the division. Given what we've seen from Hurts thus far, that's not a sound bet even at long odds.
So who's worth betting at the top of the NFC East? New York holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over Washington, so it makes sense why it's slotted as the favorite. Still, I wouldn't lay the short price. The Giants face a tough slate with the Cardinals, Browns, and Ravens over the next three weeks, and they could be without Daniel Jones as he recovers from a hamstring injury.
Meanwhile, Washington faces three teams with losing records over the final four weeks, not including the same Seattle squad that New York shut down Sunday. Ron Rivera's group also ranks well above the rest of the division in DVOA (No. 17), PFF team grades (No. 15), and point differential (No. 16).
I said Washington was the best bet to win the NFC East two months ago, and that's still the case now at +165 odds. It's becoming clearer every week that it's the best team in this division, and a change at quarterback for the Eagles doesn't change that.
C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.
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