2025 NFL Picks – Week 18: Redskins at Eagles

The Matchup. Edge: None.

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PHILADELPHIA OFFENSE: Nick Sirianni said he was still deciding if the starters would play this week. If there’s uncertainty, the players should not take the field because they’d risk injury after not fully preparing for a game in which they don’t know if they’re going to play. Sirianni is known to rest his starters anyway, so I wouldn’t expect Jalen Hurts and company to take the field. If they do, it won’t be for more than a quarter.

Despite Hurts’ expected absence, the Eagles should be able to move the chains a bit. They’d be matched up against a horrible defense that can’t stop anyone. Tanner McKee is one of the better backups in the NFL, while Will Shipley is known to make explosive plays.

WASHINGTON OFFENSE: It’s also unclear which quarterback will start for the Redskins. Marcus Mariota has a shot to play in this game, but it might be Josh Johnson again. Johnson is definitely better than the Brady Cooks and the Chris Oladokuns of the football world, as he has experience and has shown that he can move the chains on occasion.

Johnson would have an impossible task against Philadelphia’s stop unit, but the primary Eagles defenders likely will be resting. Johnson could find himself battling a similar caliber of opponent as he saw versus Dallas, or perhaps even worse. Johnson moved the chains well enough against the Cowboys to cover the spread, thanks to his two talented receivers, so he could have a similar performance in this contest.

RECAP: I’m going to lock in this pick. The line is +7, which seems absurdly high if the Eagles will rest their starters. There’s been no announcement for this yet, but I would be shocked if Sirianni played his starters more than a drive or two. Sirianni has not played his starters in meaningless games, and while the Eagles could be the No. 2 or No. 3 seed, it’s not worth risking injury to move up a spot without the benefit of clinching a first-round bye. Besides, there’s no guarantee that the Bears would even lose to the Lions, so playing starters could have absolutely no upside.

I imagine Sirianni will come to his senses soon and announce that his starters will sit, but in the meantime, we can take advantage of this high point spread. The best line is +7 -107 at Caesars. You can Get $1,000 First Bet on Caesars by clicking the link.

THURSDAY THOUGHTS: I’m glad we locked in Redskins +7 because it’s been announced that the Eagles will sit their starters. However, Tanner McKee is better than Josh Johnson, so we’re going to come back and bet Philadelphia -4 so we can get the middle.

SATURDAY NOTES: The Redskins won’t have three starting offensive linemen, while a fourth is questionable. I think the Eagles -4 is the right side, regardless of our middling opportunity.

SUNDAY MORNING NOTES: I’m glad to see the Eagles drop to -3.5 because we now have a great middling opportunity. Getting a -3 would be amazing.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Thanks to the sharp money coming in on the Redskins, we now have a -3 available. Let’s go! I don’t like all the sharp money on Washington, so I’m going to bet three units on the Eagles at DraftKings, which has -3 -115 available. Let’s hope the Eagles win by 4-6 points! You can Get $250 in bonus bets from DraftKings by clicking the link.

The Motivation. Edge: Redskins.

The Eagles may rest their starters.

The Spread. Edge: Redskins.

WalterFootball.com Calculated Spread: Eagles -1.5.

Westgate Advance Point Spread: None.

Computer Model: Eagles -1.5.

The Vegas. Edge: None.

People think the Eagles will be playing their starters.

Percentage of money on Philadelphia: 74% (35,000 bets)

The Trends. Edge: None.

History: Eagles have won 13 of the last 17 meetings.

Redskins are 16-10 ATS after losing to the Cowboys since 1997.

Opening Line: Eagles -12.

Opening Total: 42.5.

Weather: Partly cloudy, 36 degrees. Light wind.