Don’t bail on ‘Dream Team’ Eagles just yet

It's an incredible sight. A big shot strolling the sidelines not long ago, Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid already resembles a beached whale. He's fat, unhappy and losing hope.

It took only a month for Reid to realize the downside of forming a so-called "Dream Team." Spend big, lose big and deal with the consequences of being the NFL's super bust. With the Eagles at 1-4 after four consecutive flops, Reid is feeling the pressure.

Hype sometimes leads to spectacular failures, and this one might soon fall into a category with Evel Knievel's ill-fated scheme to ride his rocket-powered Skycycle over Snake River Canyon and Geraldo Rivera's uneventful opening of Al Capone's secret vault.

But I prefer to look at the bright side. The Eagles still have 11 games to play, they have the talent to turn things around, and their competitors in the NFC East have plenty of problems, too.

If Philadelphia loses Sunday, throw that optimism out with the trash. So, as tempting as it is to steer clear of the Eagles for a while, why not give them one more shot? There are worse plays on the board.

Maybe it's a sucker bet, but I'll go with Philadelphia as a 1½-point favorite at Washington. The pressure the Eagles are under could be a good thing, creating an intense focus to avoid the turnovers and ridiculous penalties that are sabotaging their season.

The Redskins are 3-1, off a bye and feeling good about themselves despite the fact Rex Grossman is their quarterback.

Michael Vick is a better option. Vick continues to pile up sick yardage totals through the air and on the ground, and his finest performance of last season came in the Eagles' 59-28 win at Fed Ex Field. Philadelphia scored touchdowns on its first five drives, and Vick passed for 333 yards and four scores while rushing for two TDs.

Things have changed this season. The Eagles have a league-high 15 turnovers, with 10 by Vick, who has thrown seven interceptions and lost three fumbles. But at times he looks unstoppable, and eventually he will play a mistake-free game.

It's just as important for Philadelphia's defense to get its clumsy act together. The Eagles rank 23rd in total defense and 30th against the run. But Washington's offense is pedestrian.

The road team is 8-1 against the spread in the past nine in this rivalry, and the time is right for the Eagles to put on a show on the road. It's essentially now or wait for next season.

Four more plays for Week 6 (Home team in CAPS):

■ LIONS (-4) over 49ers: It's not a surprise that Jim Harbaugh is doing everything right in San Francisco. Most impressive is his coaching of quarterback Alex Smith. But maybe the 49ers are getting a little too much respect with this line. Detroit is 12-0-1 ATS dating to last season. The Lions have a problem with slow starts, and they are due to hit a flat spot, but it's tough to bet against a team this hot.

■ Colts (+7) over BENGALS: Logic and statistics point to a play on the Cincinnati defense against Curtis Painter and an Indianapolis offense likely to be without Joseph Addai. But the role of a big favorite looks like a bad fit for the Bengals, who are 1-9 in their past 10 when laying points at home.

■ Cowboys (+7) over PATRIOTS: Dallas defensive coordinator Rob Ryan had an extra week to prepare for Tom Brady. During the bye, the Cowboys' receivers got healthy, giving Tony Romo all the weapons he needs to exploit a soft New England secondary. Obviously, it's always risky to bet against the Patriots at home. If Romo avoids turnovers, however, the Cowboys should have a shot at an upset.

■ BUCCANEERS (+4½) over Saints: Tampa Bay is 4-17-1 ATS in its past 22 at home. But the Bucs were embarrassed at San Francisco last week, so I'll count on quarterback Josh Freeman to rebound. Tampa Bay figures to be without injured running back LeGarrette Blount, and that hurts. The Saints are on the road for the third straight week, after struggling at Carolina and Jacksonville.

Last week: 3-2 against the spread

Season: 13-9-3

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports betting columnist Matt Youmans can be reached at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907.