Following a period of 206 days without a significant NFL contest, the league makes its return to the gridiron as the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles play host to the rival Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Eagles are entering the new season after achieving one of the most convincing postseason performances in NFL history. During their journey to claiming the Lombardi Trophy, they outscored their opponents by a total of 68 points. This figure represented the highest margin since the 2002 Buccaneers (69 points).
This year, Philadelphia boasts many of the same key players, such as running back Saquon Barkley, quarterback Jalen Hurts, receiver A.J. Brown, offensive lineman Lane Johnson, linebacker Zack Baun, defensive tackle Jalen Carter and cornerback Quinyon Mitchell. However, the offensive plays will be directed by a new coordinator, Kevin Patullo, who was promoted to take the place of Kellen Moore, who is now the head coach of the Saints. The defensive unit must also identify a cornerback to complement Mitchell and will need to compensate for the departure of two of its leading sack producers from the previous season, Josh Sweat and Milton Williams.
On the other hand, the Cowboys are undergoing a season marked by considerable changes. Head coach Mike McCarthy is no longer with the team, as his contract ended after the team failed to reach the playoffs for the first time since his initial year in 2020. He has been succeeded by Brian Schottenheimer, who has been the team’s offensive coordinator for the past two seasons but has never held a head coaching position at any level.
Dallas will also be without its most impactful defensive player from the previous season, defensive end Micah Parsons. The All-Pro pass rusher was reportedly traded to the Packers the previous week after failing to reach an agreement on a contract extension with the team.
Although the NFL season kickoff between Philadelphia and Dallas is the main attraction in the sports world on Thursday, there are alternative options available across a six-game MLB schedule and a three-game WNBA program.
Presented below is a summary of what to observe and wager on for Thursday, Sept. 4. All times Eastern
NFL best bets, where to watch
Cowboys at Eagles
Time: 8:20 p.m. | Location: Philadelphia | TV: NBC | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: Over 48.5 | Expert: Cowboys +8.5 (Mike Tierney)
Barkley, who topped the league in rushing during the previous season (2,005 yards), is presented with an appealing matchup against a Dallas defense that conceded 137.1 rushing yards per game the previous year, positioning them fourth-worst in the NFL. In his most recent encounter with the Cowboys, Barkley accumulated 167 rushing yards from 31 carries. Concurrently, the Dallas offense might possess an advantage against the Eagles defense. Having acquired receiver George Pickens during the offseason, the Cowboys now feature one of the premier receiving partnerships in the league, consisting of Pickens and CeeDee Lamb. They will face a Philadelphia pass defense that is in search of a new cornerback to play opposite Quinyon Mitchell, following the release of starting cornerback Darius Slay during the offseason. The SportsLine Projection Model, which runs simulations of every NFL game 10,000 times, anticipates a total of 55 points scored on Thursday and assigns an ‘A’ grade to Over 48.5 points. Additionally, Tierney highlights that Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott has a 4-1 straight-up record against the Eagles.
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MLB best bets, where to watch
Phillies at Brewers
Time: 4:10 p.m. | Location: Milwaukee | TV: MLB Network | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: Brewers -120 | Expert: Brewers -122 (Bruce Marshall)
The top two teams in the National League conclude their three-game series with a decisive game as the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies clash at American Family Field. The Phillies (80-59) emerged victorious in the series opener with a score of 10-8. The Brewers (86-54) responded with a 6-3 win on Wednesday. On Thursday, Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta (16-5, 2.58 ERA), who has not conceded a run in 24 consecutive innings, will face Philadelphia’s Ranger Suarez (10-6, 3.02). “Peralta’s performance in August was reminiscent of Don Drysdale circa 1968,” Marshall stated. The SportsLine model assigns a ‘B’ grade to the Brewers money line.
Yankees at Astros
Time: 7:40 p.m. | Location: Houston | TV: MLB Network | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: Yankees -142 | Expert: Yankees -141 (Zack Cimini)
Two American League teams with aspirations of making deep playoff runs in October will conclude their three-game series as the Houston Astros and New York Yankees face off at Daikin Park. The Astros (77-63) currently hold a four-game lead over the Mariners in the AL West. Meanwhile, the Yankees (77-62) are 3.5 games behind the Blue Jays in the AL East. However, the Yankees do possess the top wild card spot in the AL. Houston and New York have each won one game in the series, with the Yankees taking Game 1 and the Astros winning a Game 2 that was marked by multiple ejections. Thursday’s pitching matchup will feature New York lefty Carlos Rodon (15-7, 3.18) against Houston righty Cristian Javier (1-1, 3.38). The Yankees have emerged victorious in each of Rodon’s last five starts.
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WNBA best bets, where to watch
Lynx at Aces
Time: 10 p.m. | Location: Las Vegas | TV: Prime Video | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine expert pick: Kayla McBride Over 2.5 made 3-pointers +116 (Max Meyer)
The top team in the WNBA will meet the league’s hottest team as the Minnesota Lynx take on the Las Vegas Aces at T-Mobile Arena. The Lynx (32-8) have already secured the No. 1 overall seed and home-court advantage for the upcoming WNBA playoffs. Meanwhile, the Aces (26-14) are currently on a 12-game winning streak and are engaged in a three-way contest with the Dream (27-14) and Mercury (26-14) for the second-best record in the league. McBride has successfully made at least three 3-pointers in five consecutive games. Meyer also points out that McBride has attempted a total of 22 3-pointers in her three previous games against the Aces. “After failing to convert any of her five attempts in the first game (when Napheesa Collier left early due to injury), McBride made 3 of 7 attempts in the second meeting and 8 of 10 attempts in the most recent encounter,” Meyer explained.
