Eagles strengthen NFC East chances with commanding TNF win

The Eagles expanded their NFC East lead with a win over the Commanders on Thursday Night Football. Philadelphia trailed 10-3 late in the third quarter but scored 23 unanswered to move to 8-2 on the season. A win for Washington would have pushed it ahead of the Eagles for first place in the NFC East, a division with a new winner each season since 2004.

Instead, the Commanders dropped to 7-4 and will likely be in a tight wild-card race in the final few weeks. The Eagles entered Thursday as -225 favorites to win the NFC East, but that jumped to -550 (84% implied probability) after the game on theScore Bet and ESPN Bet. Washington was +185 before the game and is now +375. The Cowboys - last year's NFC East winners - and the Giants have dug themselves too deep a hole to climb back into the division race.

Philadelphia was the third-favorite to win the NFC at +425 prior to kickoff but leaped the 49ers on the oddsboard and now sits at +360, trailing only the Lions (+175) to win the conference.

The Eagles' rocky 2-2 start led to speculation they hadn't recovered from last season's monumental collapse when they finished 1-6 after a 10-1 start. However, the Eagles have won six straight since their Week 5 bye. Many of those wins came against lowly competition, creating hesitancy among oddsmakers to shorten the Eagles' odds. That changed Thursday when Philadelphia earned its first victory on this winning streak against an opponent with a winning record.

Regardless of the competition, the Eagles have looked as dominant as anyone over the last month. Their defense, blended with the perfect mix of youth and veterans, is first in total yards allowed per game. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has transformed one of the league's worst defenses into one of the best.

The story on offense has been Saquon Barkley, who has now surpassed 100 scrimmage yards eight times this season. Behind the NFL's best offensive line, Barkley leads the league in total rushing yards. He moved from +300 to win Offensive Player of the Year to +175, still trailing Derrick Henry at +110.

Combine an unstoppable rushing attack with Jalen Hurts' dual-threat ability and a dynamic wide receiver tandem of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, and the Eagles have the seventh-best scoring offense.

Everything is clicking in Philadelphia as it positions itself to catch the Lions (8-1) for the coveted 1-seed and first-round bye. The Eagles are +300 to earn the 1-seed, while the Lions are -190.

The Eagles have a difficult stretch approaching with two road contests against the Rams and Ravens, but they finish the season with manageable matchups. The Lions, meanwhile, still have the Bills, Packers, 49ers, Vikings, and Bears twice on their schedule.

As for the Commanders, they need the Eagles to repeat their epic 2023 collapse and must beat Philly in their rematch in Week 16 to win the division. Washington was -750 to make the playoffs before the loss, but that slightly lengthened to -600 (85% implied probability). The Commanders have lost two straight after a 7-2 start, and Jayden Daniels has cooled off following an impressive beginning to his rookie campaign. However, they're still in prime position to make the postseason for the first time since 2020 with a relatively easy schedule and a bye to finish the season.

Preseason odds projected the Eagles and Cowboys would fight for the NFC East title, but Philadelphia's talent has carried it to the top of the standings, and the Commanders' surprise ascension has them firmly in the mix.

There's still a lot of football left (as Eagles fans know all too well), but Philadelphia's impressive win proved it's a Super Bowl contender and Washington is merely a playoff contender.

Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X @soshtry for more betting coverage.