Super Bowl Odds 2018: Vegas Betting Lines and Prop Games for Eagles vs. Patriots

The poles in Philadelphia are now grease-free and they're gearing up and getting ready for the underdog Eagles to take on the dominant presence that is the Patriots.

With backup quarterback Nick Foles under center, the Eagles have been counted out since Week 14—when Carson Wentz went down with a torn ACL.

However, due to a strong defense and Foles doing his part, the Eagles are on their way.

The Patriots came back in the fourth quarter against a Jacksonville Jaguars team that took them to the brink. 

Looking at each matchup, the Patriots were likely to win, but the Eagles were floating around a field goal underdog.

The Eagles are underdogs again, getting five points, according to OddsShark. The game is at a 48 over/under.

Super Bowl LII at a Glance

Philadelphia Eagles vs. New England Patriots

Date: Feb. 4 at 6:30 p.m. ET

TV: NBC

Spread: NE -5

Prediction: Eagles cover

Both the Patriots and Eagles are No. 1 seeds for a reason.

Sure, you can chalk it up to the fact that Wentz was quarterbacking the team for 13+ weeks in the Eagles case—and you would most likely be right—but the Eagles have maintained their play.

The Patriots seem to always be the top dog in the AFC. They're a well-oiled machine with Tom Brady at quarterback, and the entire team is surrounded by a coaching staff that is off the charts in head coach Bill Belichick, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.

Their team is well-built for what they want to do offensively with Brady. Let's face it, Brady isn't the most prolific deep passer these days, so what do they do? All of their running backs can catch out of the backfield and their receivers are able to run the short/intermediate routes with wide receiver Brandin Cooks getting some deep passes his way still.

The Patriots defense has talent, but they're not one of the most dominant defenses in the league. They get to play from ahead a lot and opposing quarterbacks tend to make mistakes. After all, they do allow 366 yards of offense per game.

Defensively, they finished tied for seventh in the league in total sacks, so while they may not have one individual player who is a sack machine, cumulatively, they get it done.

Their cornerbacks—Stephon Gilmore and Malcolm Butler—have had their issues this season. Especially Gilmore, who has stepped it up tremendously after a slow start.

Transitioning to the Eagles, Foles is their quarterback. He has some limitations as a quarterback that Wentz didn't have, but they're making it work as a team.

With that said, Foles did throw for over 350 yards and three touchdowns against a vaunted Vikings defense—that is an impressive feat.

Foles also has a plethora of weapons at his disposal. Both of these teams have great depth at the skill positions. The Eagles have running back Jay Ajayi who is a more traditional, 20-carry kind of back—something the Patriots don't have. But other than that, they both have elite tight ends and a corp of wide receivers that fit the kind of game and offense they want to run.

Ultimately, the Eagles will have a chance in this game thanks to their imposing defense. They rank seventh and third in DVOA against the pass and run, respectively, and can hold down opposing No. 1 and 2 receivers as well as pass-catching running backs.

This will be a competitive game, despite the quarterback matchup.

Prop Bets

OddsShark has released an almost complete guide for prop bets.

Some of those listed in the guide include whether a team will score three unanswered times in a game and whether or not the team that scores first will win.

For the former, the current odds for "yes" are at -180 (bet $180 to win $100), while "no" is at +150. This says that it's more likely that we'll see the Patriots or Eagles score three times before the other team can. Remember, this pertains to any form of scoring, not just touchdowns.

That latter has the same odds. So, oddsmakers must believe the first team to score will go on to win the matchup.

In the end, prop bets are made for fun and for a more casual fan. They're made to increase the enjoyment of the entire Super Bowl experience. If you want to make some bets with friends for a bit more fun and entertainment, check out the available prop bets and go accordingly. 

But remember—have fun! 

Statistics courtesy of NFL.com and Football Outsiders.