NFL Football is finally back and we're ready for another season of betting predictions and picks, starting with this action throughout the Preseason. The Atlanta Falcons (0-0) will take the short road trip to visit the Miami Dolphins (0-0) for both teams' first taste of competitive football. It is time to continue our NFL odds series with a Falcons-Dolphins prediction and pick.
The Atlanta Falcons are coming into this season with higher expectations after seeing glimpses of hope throughout last year. Bijan Robinson has already emerged as one of the premier running backs in the league and their offense will be led by new addition Kirk Cousins. It'll also be interesting to see Michael Penix Jr. get some work as the Falcons come into this game as the slight betting favorites.
The Miami Dolphins will see their first Preseason action and we're not likely to see any of their starters playing throughout this one. Still, they have a load of capable depth players and they come into this season as one of the favorites to make it out of the AFC. We'll see if Head Coach Mike McDaniel can replicate his wild offensive production from a year ago.
Here are the NFL Preseason odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Preseason Odds: Falcons-Dolphins Odds
Atlanta Falcons: -2.5 (-115)
Moneyline: -150
Miami Dolphins: +2.5 (-105)
Moneyline: +125
Over: 38.5 (-105)
Under: 38.5 (-115)
How to Watch Falcons vs. Dolphins Preseason
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT
TV: ABC, CBS, NFL+
Stream: fuboTV (Click Here for free trial)
Why The Falcons Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Atlanta Falcons are yet another team with an impending battle at the quarterback position. After signing veteran Kirk Cousins through free agency, the Falcons went ahead and drafted Michael Penix Jr. as one of the top young gunslingers in the draft. Now, we'll get a chance to see Penix work at the NFL level and from what reporters have been seeing at training camp, this battle could be closer than what fans had previously anticipated. Look for him to make the most of the series he sees in this one as the Falcons offense will be a huge storyline throughout this season.
Despite their offensive struggles in passing the ball last season, the Atlanta Falcons immediately improved on their ground game and ranked ninth in total rushing last season. That's a massive jump from what they're used to and we should see RB2 Tyler Allgeier receive some valuable work in catching the ball and on third-down situations. For this game, it'll be interesting to see if the Falcons have improved at all on defense following last season, where they ranked league-worst in pass rushing. Defensive Coordinator Jimmy Lake will have a massive task to conquer in his first season at the position.
Why The Dolphins Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Miami Dolphins are returning to action this season after a very promising 11-6 campaign through the season. It was a heartbreaking end, however, as they fell to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card Round. In a game where they only scored seven points, Head Coach Mike McDaniel has been scheming all offseason on how to improve an offense that already ranked first in passing offense and sixth overall in rushing offense. While we won't see any of their high-profile starters during this game, expect to see some interesting play calls from McDaniel as he tries to work the kinks out of this offense.
The Dolphins' defense actually had a solid year last season and has been slowly improving since Mike McDaniel took the reigns in Miami. While they rank near the middle of the league in allowing passing yards, they rank higher in the top 10 in rushing defense. They drafted an edge rusher in Chop Robinson with their first pick in the draft, along with adding edge rusher Mohamed Kamara to the mix as well – look for these two rookies to make an immediate impact on the line for the Dolphins.
Final Falcons-Dolphins Prediction & Pick
The Atlanta Falcons are the betting favorites during this matchup due to their advantage with Michael Penix Jr. at the quarterback position. The Falcons also have a ton to prove on defense this year and they used three of their top-four draft picks on their defensive line. It'll be interesting to see how big of an impact their rookies can make for an offense that exceeded initial expectations last year.
The Miami Dolphins won't be showing much of their starters during this game, but that won't stop Mike McDaniel from trying new schemes and adding new plays to this already explosive offense. Their defense improved through the draft and we should see some of their top rookies in action during this game.
Still, we'll have to ride with the Atlanta Falcons to get this win as they'll be looking to prove more with a new, young quarterback at the helm. Penix Jr. is also looking to impress his coaching staff as he battles Kirk Cousins for the starting role, so expect him to go out there and make some plays. Let's take the Falcons to cover this spread in what should be a fun game.
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Final Falcons-Dolphins Prediction & Pick: Atlanta Falcons 2.5 (-115)
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