There’s no doubt that the Eagles offense is the flavor of the week this week. Head coach Chip Kelly’s innovative, extreme tempo system figures to be a lot for San Diego to handle, especially on a short work week. Couple those tasks with a cross country fight, an early 1:00 local time start, and their heart breaking season home opening loss to Houston and you instantly have a strong case for a fade. Defensive fatigue could also be a valid argument against the Chargers since Philadelphia is conditioned for their style and the entire nation saw Washington’s defense gassed in the first quarter last Monday night. A reenergized and rabid Eagles fan base will pack Lincoln Financial Field for the season home opener and immediately become a very positive 12th man force. I understand that +7/+7.5 is a large number in the NFL that many would take blindly but is it enough to back San Diego? They are the “ugly dog” so to speak in this contest which makes them a hard sell for oddsmakers. All the solid things they did in the first half vs. Houston have already eroded in the minds of just about everyone who watched them implode in the second half. The final box score is lopsided against them which can sway anyone who didn’t see the game. Houston was +12 in first downs, +24 in total plays, +186 in total yards, and +13:02 in time of possession.Fundamentally, the Texans used a heavy dose of blitzing in the second half to disorganize and totally defuse the Chargers’ offensive rhythm. New Philadelphia defensive coordinator Billy Davis’ system emphasizes the blitz which is seemingly another strike against San Diego in this game. The ideal blueprint would be to shorten the game with running back Ryan Mathews and short to intermediate passes while forcing and capitalizing on a few turnovers. That’s a little out of character for the Chargers whose best offensive asset is their quarterback’s right arm and his attack mentality. Also, the defense isn’t really a takeaway type of defense. Offensive line play should play a significant factor here. San Diego is working with a retooled, sub-par front while Philadelphia’s pieces are healthy and aided by the addition of first round draft choice Lane Johnson at right tackle. The NFL is as finicky a league as there is when it comes to week-to-week results. Things you see one week disappear the next and wind up having bettors scratching their heads and shredding tickets they thought were gold when purchased. You can be sure San Diego will come out fighting and determined in this one. Early season bounce backs off of discouraging losses are easier for teams because there is still a positive mindset with a full season of games left. There are always situations where money can be made each year by playing underdogs that just don’t seem to have any logical chance of covering. This isn’t one of them. Philadelphia will have the Chargers heads spinning from the outset as they unleash a little more of the 40% in their playbook that went unused against the Redskins. San Diego can’t keep up with the Eagles pace on either side of the ball here. Effectiveness and execution go to the home side in a large way and Philly wins by 13 or more.
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