Eagles vs. Detroit Lions: Predictions from ESPN, Sports Illustrated, CBS … – NJ.com
When the Eagles take the field Thursday against the Detroit Lions, they will do so as favorites for the ninth time in 11 games this season.
As many fans know, the team’s record heading into the Thanksgiving day matchup is 4-6 — meaning this team is anything by predictable.
If the team ever needed to turn in a game where they play up to their potential, however, this is it, as the pressure is on more than ever to come away with a win.
Will they get it done? Or will they lose their third straight game, and increase the speculation that their head coach, Chip Kelly, could be on his way out this season.
Here is a roundup of predictions:
NJ.com:
Eliot Shorr-Parks: At this point, there is nothing more frustrating than picking an Eagles’ game. Although the times are now fewer and far between, the team has shown this season they are capable of putting together elite performances, like their win over the Giants, New Orleans Saints and New York Jets. They have also shown, however, they more times than not, they will beat themselves, display questionable effort and come away with a loss. They should beat the Lions — just like they should have beaten the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins. But does anyone actually think they will? Lions 24, Eagles 21
Mark Eckel: Does anyone else besides me get a kick out of the fact that Chip Kelly and Donovan McNabb have the same birthday? OK, onto the pick. The Eagles give their beleaguered coach just what he needs for his birthday, a win. Eagles 23, Lions 20.
Matt Lombardo: If any team ever needed a win to salvage not just a season but perhaps the very faith in its head coach, it would be the Eagles. However, given all of the questions and potential in-fighting that have surfaced after two ugly home losses, beating Detroit on Thanksgiving might just be too tall an order. Detroit has only scored 36 points combined in their last two games and won both of them. If Sam Bradford is able to make the start, and that seems to be a long-shot, perhaps the outcome is different. Lions 16, Eagles 10.
ESPN:
Of the 13 experts polled, only two picked the Eagles. The two brave experts to pick the Eagles? Mike Golic and Chris Mortensen.
CHIP: Could he leave the Eagles?
Sports Illustrated: (via Don Banks)
In his roughly five quarters of action replacing the injured Sam Bradford at quarterback, Mark Sanchez has already tossed four interceptions, and if he starts again Thursday for the Eagles, it’ll mark a third anniversary of sorts of the “Butt Fumble,” the slapstick play that essentially came to define his roller-coaster-like Jets tenure…. After losing 11 times in 12 years on Thanksgiving from 2001 to 2012, Detroit is actually on a two-game winning streak on the holiday, routing the Packers and Bears the past two years. The Lions don’t have as much to play for as they did in those seasons, but at least they’re responding to the recent coaching and front office changes in the organization and making a decent run at saving head coach Jim Caldwell’s job. Lions 19, Eagles 16
CBS Sports:(via Pete Prisco)
This is a must-win for the Eagles if they are going to have a chance to win the division. They aren’t playing well, and the Lions are — especially on defense. That carries over. Lions take it. Lions 27, Eagles 21
THE NO-HUDDLE SHOW, Ep. 17: Is the Chip Kelly era coming to an end?
The Eagles were 19-9 in Chip Kelly’s first 28 regular-season games. They have lost nine of 14 games since then. What the heck happened? Is Chip Kelly 100 percent to blame, and if so, what happens with the Eagles in 2016? Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or Stitcher.
Eliot Shorr-Parks may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @EliotShorrParks. Find NJ.com Sports on Facebook.
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