49ers vs. Eagles: NFL Week 2 betting odds, preview, and pick

After both teams got impressive road wins in Week 1, the Philadelphia Eagles will host the San Francisco 49ers in their home opener. Let's examine this NFC matchup, beginning with the latest betting odds.

Jimmy G is fighting to keep his starting spot

After the 49ers drafted Trey Lance third overall, the question became how long would it take for him to steal the starting job from Jimmy Garoppolo. Well, Jimmy G quashed that talk after an impressive performance in Week 1.

Garoppolo put up 314 passing yards and a touchdown on 17-for-25 passing. That is a QBR of 74.6 and passer rating of 124.2. Last season, his total QBR was 54.0 and his passer rating was 92.4. The running game did not miss a beat either, as Elijah Mitchell stepped in for the injured Raheem Mostert to run for 104 yards and a touchdown.

However, the defense did struggle with the Detroit Lions in the second half. After going up 38-10, they let the Lions back into the game with some quick drives and big plays. The Niners allowed 430 total yards of offense, and they will need to shore that up against the Eagles.

Philly won with balance

The Eagles did just about everything right in their win in Atlanta on Sunday. They had a balanced offense of 261 passing yards and 173 rushing yards. They also held the Falcons to only 260 total yards of offense.

Jalen Hurts looked excellent in his 2021 debut, going 27-for-35 for 264 yards and three touchdowns. He also had 62 yards rushing on seven carries. He was spreading the ball around as no player had more than six catches. Wide receivers tallied 15 catches, tight ends six catches, and running backs six catches.

On the defensive end, the Eagles were getting after Matt Ryan in the backfield. They tallied three sacks and nine quarterback hits. Ryan was only able to average 4.7 yards per attempt. Mike Davis was also bottled up, only getting 3.3 yards per rushing attempt.

49ers and Eagles Betting Trends

• The 49ers are 9-25-1 ATS in their last 35 games as a favorite
• The 49ers are 2-7 ATS in their last nine meetings with the Eagles
• The Over is 5-0-1 in the 49ers' last six games as a road favorite
• The Eagles are 5-0 ATS in their last five games as a home underdog
• The Over is 15-5-1 in the Eagles' last 21 games in Week 2

Balance will prevail

The 49ers will be able to run the football against the Eagles' defense, but the passing game will struggle. The Eagles' pass defense is just so much better than the Lions' pass defense, and I believe Garoppolo will have his hands full.

The 49ers' defense really struggled in the second half, and the Eagles will look to exploit those same methods of attack that worked for Detroit. If the Eagles get out to an early lead, it will be difficult for the 49ers to remain balanced, and it will play right into Philadelphia’s game plan.

I like the Eagles to advance to 2-0 with a big home win and to continue their hot streak of winning straight-up as an underdog.

Score prediction: Eagles 31, 49ers 21

NFL Week 2 picks: Eagles +4, Over 49.5