Eagles vs Patriots Predictions & Betting Splits (Aug 22)

The New England Patriots will host the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL preseason on Saturday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. Kickoff for this game is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

The Patriots are coming off a 13-13 tie in their preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts, while the Eagles slumped to a 24-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. While there isn’t a lot of statistical info after just one game in the preseason, I’m analyzing teams’ availability, potential absences and recent performances to determine which team is the favorite for this contest.

Eagles vs Patriots Picks

• Patriots to win (-102 @ BetMGM)
• Over 36.5 points (-105 @ BetMGM)

I’m backing the Patriots to get the win here with -102 odds at BetMGM. Even though it’s uncertain whether the likes of Drake Maye, Rhamondre Stevenson and A.J. Brown, among other starters, will play, the backups left a good impression in the preseason opener. The same can’t be said about the Eagles, as they looked completely overmatched by the Ravens in their previous contests. With both teams playing backups, I’m backing New England’s depth to get the win here.

I’m also leaning toward the over in points due to the defensive problems the Eagles showed in the loss to the Ravens. While Philadelphia should tighten things up defensively, the Patriots can damage with their passing game even if the stars are rested. Backups tend to make far more mistakes, and with preseason games being the perfect scenario to test things before the start of the new campaign, I’m seeing the over here.

The NFL public betting data favors the Patriots as well, as 59% of the bets and 64% of the money is backing them to cover the +1.5 spread. Meanwhile, my model backs New England to win and the over at 35.5 points, with 58% of the bets and 62% of the money also hitting the over.

Eagles vs Patriots Injury Report and Who’s Playing

Here’s a quick summary of who should be available for Saturday’s contest.

Philadelphia Eagles Player Avaibility for Week 2 of the 2026 NFL Preseason

The Eagles have over 20 players listed on the injury report. The biggest concerns are on the WR corps, with players such as DeVonta Smith (hamstring), Makai Lemon (hamstring), Elijah Moore (neck), Danny Gray (concussion) and Britain Covey (hamstring) all carrying questionable tags. The positive is that the Eagles don’t have many projected starters dealing with injuries in other positions except for linebacker Jonathan Greenard (pectoral) and cornerback Cooper DeJean (groin).

As of Saturday afternoon, the Eagles haven’t announced whether the starters will be suiting up for Week 2 of the 2026 NFL preseason. However, all signs point to this game featuring most of the backups as they continue to battle for roster spots ahead of the new season. This means players such as Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and Dallas Goedert, just to name a few, aren’t likely to be available on Saturday.

New England Patriots Player Avaibility for Week 2 of the 2026 NFL Preseason

Head coach Mike Vrabel hasn’t announced whether the starters will suit up for this contest, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the likes of Drake Maye, Rhamondre Stevenson, Romeo Doubs and A.J. Brown end up being rested again. If that’s the case, look for Tommy DeVito and Behren Morton to battle under center for the QB2.

In terms of injuries, the Patriots aren’t missing any projected starters due to fitness concerns outside of linebacker Harold Landry, who’s dealing with an undisclosed injury, and star cornerback Christian Gonzalez. Both will be sidelined here. Other injuries include Ben Brown (undisclosed) and Brenden Schooler (undisclosed), whereas Jeremiah Webb (arm), Myles Montgomery (undisclosed), Jimmy Kibble (undisclosed) and Julian Hill (knee) are out for the season. 

Eagles vs Patriots odds

Odds as of 3:30 p.m. ET from BetMGM on Saturday, August 22, 2026.

The odds show the Patriots as favorites even if the starters don’t play, and that’s backed up by the fact that their overall depth is significantly better than the Eagles on both sides of the ball. The lack of depth on defense in Philadelphia, along with the likelihood that both teams will sit most of their starters, also makes me lean toward the over.

In terms of the spread, the 1.5-point margin shows this game will be tight and could go either way. The Patriots are the better team on paper, something that’s shown in the NFL win totals and the Super Bowl odds as well, so it wouldn’t be shocking if they cover this tight spread en route to victory.