It’s probably unfair to say this but Minnesota and Philadelphia simply don’t have the quarterbacks to make a convincing playoff runOver the last 42 years the regular season’s top teams have gone to the playoffs with an expectation of winning their first postseason game. They often don’t, of course, but the people who set sports betting lines have named the No1 seed as favorites every time in their playoff opener. Never have they wavered on this. Their faith in the higher seed has been automatic. But faith never met Nick Foles, the unfortunate replacement for Carson Wentz as the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback in these playoffs. For the first time since the NFL began using team records to set seeding the sports books are picking a No1 seed to lose a first playoff game, naming the Atlanta Falcons as 2.5 point favorites for their divisional round game next Saturday in Philadelphia.  Continue reading…

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2018/jan/08/philadelphia-eagles-nick-foles-nfl-playoffs