NFC East win totals: Eagles win total offers little value, fading the Giants a smart play

The NFL released its 2024 schedule for all 32 teams on Wednesday, which is a great jumping-in point to start exploring some NFC East win totals.

Last year, Philadelphia and Dallas were the only teams in the division to surpass their win totals. The NFC East was fortunate to face the AFC East and West divisions along with the NFC North. Fewer than half the teams (five) in those divisions finished with winning records.

However, based on the NFL’s scheduling formula, NFC East teams will now face AFC opponents from the North and South divisions in addition to the NFC South in 2024. In comparison, nine of the 12 teams in those opposing divisions finished above .500.

As a result, the market is somewhat bearish this season when projecting win totals in the NFC East.

The juice on the under tells us all we need to know about the projected win totals in the NFC East.

Odds via bet365 as of May 15

While the odds for Philadelphia and Dallas are identical, the Eagles might have the softest schedule of the four teams in the division based on their opponents’ average win total (8.32). The real question is whether that slight edge (0.3) is enough to account for another win on the schedule.

The Eagles have a brutal stretch to begin the season with an international game (Brazil) against the Packers in Week 1. They return stateside for a home opener against the Falcons before playing its next two games on the road against the Saints and Buccaneers.

Each of those four games will likely be a battle for the Eagles, who also have an early bye in Week 5, which means 13 straight weeks of competition.

The good news for Eagles fans is that the last five weeks of the season should be manageable. Four of their five games are at home, including a Week 18 matchup against the Cowboys. It’s also possible that the matchup against the Cowboys ultimately decides the division.

However, I believe this Eagles’ win total is priced just right, as there simply isn’t enough of an edge at this point to warrant a play in either direction.

» READ MORE: Bet on Taijuan Walker to hit the under on his strikeout total in Phillies’ matchup with Mets

Where the futures-betting value lies in this division is with the Giants’ finishing under 6.5 wins.

The jury is still out on whether Daniel Jones can be a franchise quarterback in the NFL. New York flirted with the idea of taking a quarterback with the sixth overall pick in the draft but instead opted for LSU WR Malik Nabers. While some tabbed Nabers as the best wide receiver in the draft, it won’t matter much if Jones can’t get him the ball.

According to Pro Football Focus, the Giants’ offense ranked last in pass blocking with a 43.4 rating, and the team didn’t select a single lineman in the draft.

The Giants will also have a new rusher in the backfield, with Devin Singletary replacing Saquon Barkley. Unfortunately, the Giants’ run blocking wasn’t much better, ranking 30th with a 41.1 value. If you can’t pass-block and run-block, I’m not sure you can expect to have much success in football, at any level.

Backing the Giants to finish under 6.5 wins is a bet worth adding to your portfolio.

The Inquirer is not an online gambling operator, or a gambling site. We provide this information about sports betting for entertainment purposes only.