NFL Week 17 picks: Who the experts are taking in Eagles vs. Cardinals

The Eagles have been working out the kinks for, well, too long, and it’s bound to catch up to them. But not yet. Philly’s struggling defense has an opportunity for that get-right game against Kyler Murray, who has underwhelmed in his return, logging career lows in many passing and rushing categories. I also expect to see a heavy dose of D’Andre Swift and Kenneth Gainwell against Arizona’s 32nd-ranked run D — which should allow the pass game to open up for Jalen Hurts to potentially force feed a disgruntled A.J. Brown. Even with Jonathan Gannon knowing the Eagles better than most others who come into the Linc, Philly should head into the new year on a goo

Cardinals at Eagles (-11)

The Eagles can’t afford to slip up now.

Florio: Eagles, 34-17.

Simms: Eagles, 27-21.

The Cardinals are 1-3 ATS as a double-digit underdog, but the Eagles have shown enough issues on defense that it’s possible for Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts to engage in a shootout for at least three quarters. Philadelphia is 0-5 ATS when favored by more than six points this season. At some point they will break that trend, but the Cardinals find a way to hit the back-door cover late.

Pick: Eagles 29, Cardinals 18

Arizona Cardinals (3-12) at Philadelphia Eagles (11-4), 1 p.m. – The Eagles need a couple cupcakes after their three-game losing streak, and they get another with the Cardinals, though don’t tell that to the Steelers. They can still be the top seed in the NFC, but they need some help from the 49ers.

Prediction: Eagles, 33-12

Despite some Eagles protests about fans at the Linc chanting, “Run The Ball” during possessions, and obvious advisement against neglecting the pass considering the offense’s effectiveness through the air, Sunday may indeed be the game to run the ball — at will. The Cardinals have arguably the worst run defense in the NFL, and the statistics back it up. They rank 32nd and last in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (147.0), 30th in rushing yards allowed per carry (4.7), and 32nd in rushing first downs allowed per game (7.9). The Eagles also seem to have solved some of the issues that were plaguing them on the ground the last few weeks. They’ve regained some of the advantages they’ve had before with quarterback Jalen Hurts as a plus-one factor, and that in turn has created some space for the running backs. At the very least, Nick Sirianni and Brian Johnson should be able to get running back D’Andre Swift the 12 yards he needs to reach 1,000 yards rushing for the first time in his career.