NFL Preseason Week 2 Best Bets: Eagles at Patriots

Tonight's preseason game between the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots may be slightly lower stakes than when they met up in Super Bowl LII.

But it's Thursday. You've got nothing going on. It's the only game of the night.

We can be honest with ourselves and admit that we're probably going to watch.

The Eagles seem unlikely to have quarterback Jalen Hurts for this one, especially given the two teams met up for joint practices throughout the week. Hurts didn't play at all last preseason, and we could see something similar this year.

The Patriots, though, figure to give Drake Maye a more extended look after he played limited snaps in his preseason debut.

Which bets stand out for this game in FanDuel Sportsbook's NFL preseason Week 2 betting odds? Let's check it out.

Eagles vs. Patriots Betting Picks

Patriots -2.5 (-105)

Despite a win last week, one thing is abundantly clear.

Nick Sirianni DGAF about the preseason.

In now 10 traditional preseason games, Sirianni is 2-6-2 straight up with a -95 point differential. Their win over the Baltimore Ravens was in large part thanks to the Ravens' sitting Lamar Jackson as the Eagles used the full game to play out the backup quarterback battle between Kenny Pickett and Tanner McKee. We shouldn't overreact to that one game.

The Patriots also benefited from a team resting starters last week as the Carolina Panthers sat both Bryce Young and Andy Dalton. But they did at least take advantage with a 17-3 win.

The plus for the Patriots is their depth at quarterback is solid. Even if Jacoby Brissett doesn't play much, we should see plenty of Maye, and Joe Milton's chaotic play style seems perfectly suited for the preseason. They should be able to move the ball regardless of who is under center.

We've got a first-year head coach who is succeeding arguably the best of all time, and he'll be eager to prove himself. He's facing a guy who has shown us the preseason is not his priority. Once you consider which players will be on the field on both sides of the ball, I do think the Patriots are the proper team to back in this one.

Patriots to Rush for 125-Plus Yards (+120)

The Patriots fell short of this mark last week, putting up 113 yards on the ground. I still think it's worth a look again this time around.

The quarterback play is a key part of this for me. As mentioned above, we should see more out of Maye this time around, and athleticism is a key selling point for him.

But we should also see some Milton again as he tries to pry a roster slot away from Bailey Zappe. Milton ran 5 times for 22 yards in the opener.

We also saw both of the Pats' top running backs -- Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson -- get at least some run against the Panthers. If the legitimate potential contributors play more tonight, it's possible the Pats are able to move the ball on the ground.

This one syncs well with the Patriots' spread as the Pats could be looking to drain clock late in the game. Thus, it's a viable add if you want another route to betting the angles discussed above.

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Which bets stand out to you for this week's games? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest NFL preseason betting odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.