Colts -4.0 (-112)
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- Since Nick Sirianni took over as head coach in 2021, the Philadelphia Eagles have won just one of eight preseason games. The Eagles also haven’t won a preseason home game since August 30, 2018.
- Eagles quarterback Marcus Mariota, who is expected to start for Philadelphia on Thursday night, has struggled throughout the 2023 NFL Preseason. Mariota has completed just 57.1% of his passes for 144 yards with one interception.
- 2023 No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson and many other Colts’ starters are expected to see some action on Thursday night. The Colts also have two efficient and capable quarterbacks (Gardner Minshew and Sam Ehlinger) behind Richardson.
The Indianapolis Colts will visit the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night in the final week of the 2023 NFL Preseason. Although he didn’t play in the Colts’ 24-17 victory over the Chicago Bears in Week 2, No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson will be back under center for his team’s preseason finale. Meanwhile, Eagles’ QB Jalen Hurts is not expected to suit up against Indianapolis. Now, let’s take a closer look at the Colts vs Eagles matchup and make our best NFL betting picks for this interconference showdown.
Colts vs Eagles Betting Pick
Colts vs Eagles: Colts -4.0 (-112)
Why Bet on the Colts To Cover:
✅ Under Head Coach Nick Sirianni, the Philadelphia Eagles are just 1-5-2 in preseason games. In their five losses, they have been defeated on average by 17.0 points per game. Overall, it is clear Sirianni and the Eagles don’t put much of an emphasis on winning during the preseason.
✅ Eagles quarterback Marcus Mariota is expected to start against the Colts on Thursday night. The projected backup to Jalen Hurts has not quite lived up to expectations thus far in the 2023 NFL Preseason, completing just 57.1% of his passes with a 56.3 QBR in his first two games.
✅ Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen announced that QB Anthony Richardson and many other starters on both sides of the ball will take the field in Thursday’s preseason finale against the Philadelphia Eagles. Meanwhile, the Eagles are expected to continue resting Jalen Hurts and most of their first-team players.
This game will be played at Lincoln Financial Field at 8:00 PM ET on August 24, 2023.
Indianapolis Colts
Despite entering the 2022 NFL season as the favorites to win the AFC South, the Indianapolis Colts finished in third place with an abysmal 4-12-1 record on the year. The Colts have missed the playoffs in six of the last eight seasons and have struggled to find their footing since 4x Pro Bowl quarterback Andrew Luck’s surprise retirement in August 2019.
All eyes are on 2023 No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson as we approach the beginning of the regular season. Indianapolis is hopeful they have found their quarterback of the future, and Richardson is set to take the reigns of a Colts’ offense that ranked 27th in yards per game and 30th in points per game just a season ago.
Philadelphia Eagles
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles finished the 2022 NFL regular season at 14-3, giving them the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC and helping them reach the postseason for the fifth time over the last six years. They defeated the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs before falling just short against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.
The Eagles did lose a few key pieces from last year’s NFC Championship team, including running back Miles Sanders, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, and guard Isaac Seumalo. However, they did manage to resign several starters on the defensive side of the ball (Darius Slay, James Bradberry, and Brandon Graham) and land running backs Miles Sanders and Rashaad Penny during the offseason.
Now, 2022 MVP runner-up Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles will look to defend their NFC title and win the team’s second Super Bowl in franchise history.
