EAGLES (1-2) AT PACKERS (3-0)
TV: Ch. 5, NFL, 8:20 p.m.
Line: Packers by 4 O/U: 46
If Philadelphia loses its third straight, the soundtrack after one month might as well be "Desperado" by the other Eagles.
A popular Super Bowl pick, the Eagles would be 1-3 and possibly three games back in the NFC East if the Cowboys win Sunday night. The schedule doesn't take it easy on Philly, either: After a gimme against the winless Jets, the Eagles have three straight road games at Minnesota, Dallas and Buffalo before home games against Chicago and New England.
This is as must-win as must-wins get in Week 4.
So can the Eagles go into Lambeau Field and pull off the mini upset? Sure. Despite dealing with injuries to its secondary, defensive line and at receiver, Philly is a couple of dropped passes away from being 3-0. Carson Wentz is likely getting big target Alshon Jeffery back for this game, and Doug Pederson has done his best coaching as an underdog (see: the Super Bowl run from a couple seasons ago).
Green Bay is unbeaten thanks largely to a new and improved defense that allowed three points in the opener and 16 in each of the last two wins. Aaron Rodgers and the offense haven't really gotten into a rhythm, though. While the Eagles would love a few more days of rest, the Packers probably don't mind, having been home the last three weeks. That's a big deal, and home teams have traditionally thrived on Thursday nights. One of these nights, though, a road team is going to start fast, and I think that can be the Eagles.
I'm 0-for-3 picking Thursday night games this season, so it's never a peaceful, easy feeling making these selections. I've already gone over how home teams are usually the right pick. But I think this is a high-scoring, three-point final with Wentz and Rodgers putting up big numbers, so I'll take the points with a hungry Eagles team that needs the game more.
The pick: Eagles
