Eagles @ 49ers Odds and Predictions

Seemingly week after week, the banged up 49ers play another banged up football team.

Author:
Nicolas Newman
Oct 3, 2020 4:34 PM EDT

Point Spread: 49ers -7

Over/Under: 45.5

Analysis: Seemingly week after week, the banged up 49ers play another banged up football team. That holds true again this week, as the Eagles are shockingly missing more of their starters than the 49ers.

The Eagles will be without:

Wide Receivers: Alshon Jeffrey, DeSean Jackson, Jalen Reagor, and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside
Tight End: Dallas Goedert
Left Tackle: Jason Peters
Corners: Avonte Madox and Trevor Williams

The 49ers will be without:

Quarterback: Jimmy Garoppolo
Running Backs: Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman
Tight End: Jordan Reed
Edge Rusher: Dee Ford
Linebacker: Dre Greenlaaw
Corners: Emmanuel Moseley and Ahekllo Witherspoon

*K’Waun Williams is questionable

While both teams have been hit hard by the injury bug, they’ve had two completely different experiences. The 49ers, one of the deepest teams in the league, have been playing their best football despite all of their injuries.

While the Eagles, who were a playoff team in 2019, have been one of the more disappointing teams to begin the season. Through three weeks, they have lost to the Washington Football Team and the Rams, and tied with the Bengals. The Washington Football Team and the Bengals were the two worst teams in the NFL last season, and the Eagles couldn’t beat either.

Entering Week 4, the 49ers are 2-1 against the spread, while the Eagles are 0-3. San Francisco has had no trouble covering the last two weeks, after blowout wins against the Jets and Giants. The quarterback who led them to last week’s blow out, Nick Mullens, will be under center again for the prime time matchup against the Eagles.

This is how I see Sunday unfolding:

Spread prediction: 49ers cover the 7 points.

Nick Mullens and the 49ers are hot right now. They may get even hotter, as two players are returning from injury - Deebo Samuel and George Kittle. Even without them in the lineup, the team has been able to score 67 points the past two weeks.

The most significant absence from the 49ers’ offense for this matchup is Raheem Mostert. No one can replicate his home-run-threat ability, and the ground game struggled last week without him. For that reason, I’m expecting another 300 yard performance by Mullens.

The Eagles defense has been serviceable for the most part, as it's in the top 10 in both passing yards and rushing yards allowed per game. However, the Eagles have given up the 11th most points. They've also struggled to generate turnovers, as their one turnover is the worst mark in the league.

Offensively, Carson Wentz has Zach Ertz to throw to, and then a bunch of nobodies. Miles Sanders is the best all around player on offense for the Eagles, as he’s averaging nearly 120 yards from scrimmage. Unfortunately, Ertz and Sanders won’t be enough firepower for Wentz to keep this game close.

The 49ers are significantly deeper and more talented than the Eagles, and for that, they win this game by double digits.

Over/Under Prediction: Under 45.5 points

Looking at the previous three weeks, four out of the six games the 49ers and Eagles have played exceeded the set over/under.

The 49ers are averaging 29 points per game. I see the Eagles holding them just under that mark, allowing 28 points. The Eagles offense is scoring 19 points per game, but the 49ers defense is allowing only 15. I see the Eagles finishing with 17 points, the number right between both averages.

It’ll be a four touchdown affair for the 49ers on Sunday, they win by 11.

Eagles 17 - 49ers 28.

All 49ers Sports Illustrated Writers Predictions: