It's a battle of the birds as the Atlanta Falcons battle the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night at Lincoln Financial Field. It's time to prepare for some football as we share our NFL odds series and make a Falcons-Eagles prediction and pick.
The Falcons lost 18-10 to the Pittsburgh Steelers, stumbling out of the gate to start the season. Unfortunately, their offense stalled throughout most of the game. Kirk Cousins disappointed everyone in his Falcons' debut, going 16 for 26 with 155 yards passing with one touchdown and two interceptions. Meanwhile, Bijan Robinson rushed 18 times for 68 yards and caught five passes for 43 yards. Ray-Ray McCloud had four catches for 52 yards. Unfortunately, two of their stars struggled. Kyle Pitts had three receptions for 26 yards and a touchdown, while Drake London had two receptions on three targets for 15 yards.
The Falcons had 15 first downs while going 2 for 9 on third downs. Additionally, they turned the ball over three times and allowed two sacks. Their defense could not force a single turnover but did register two sacks. Also, they lost time of possession 35:36 to 24:24.
The Eagles defeated the Green Bay Packers 34-29 to start their season. Saquon Barkley rumbled, going off for 24 rushes for 109 yards and two touchdowns while catching two passes for 23 yards and a score. Meanwhile, quarterback Jalen Hurts went 20 for 34 with 278 yards passing, with two touchdowns and two interceptions, while rushing 13 times for 33 yards. AJ Brown had five catches on 10 targets for 119 yards and a touchdown. Likewise, Devonte Smith had seven receptions for 84 yards. Tight end Dallas Goedert had four catches for 31 yards.
The Eagles had 25 first downs and went 4 for 14 on third downs. Also, Philadelphia committed three turnovers and allowed two sacks. The defense forced one turnover and registered two sacks.
The Eagles lead the head-to-head series 21-15-1. Moreover, they clipped the Falcons 32-6 in their last showdown on September 21, 2021 at Mercedez Benz Stadium. The Eagles are 3-2 over the last five regular-season games against the Falcons and 4-1 over the last five at Lincoln Financial Field.
Here are the NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Falcons-Eagles Odds
Atlanta Falcons: +6.5 (-106)
Moneyline: +250
Philadelphia Eagles: -6.5 (-114)
Moneyline: -310
Over: 47.5 (-105)
Under: 47.5 (-115)
How to Watch Falcons vs. Eagles
Time: 8:15 PM ET/5:15 PM PT
TV: ABC/ESPN
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why The Falcons Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Falcons are in trouble. Yes, it is only the second week. However, struggling to do anything in the first week with a new offense usually shows signs of trouble. The Falcons need their offense to produce.
Cousins looked bad. Now, he must play Monday Night Football on the road. In case you did not know, Cousins is 7-22 in primetime games throughout his career. Unfortunately, he struggles under the bright lights. The Falcons need Cousins to step up in the pocket and find his open receivers. Then, they need their receivers to find open space.
Robinson had a good opening weekend. Yet, there is much more he must do to help the Falcons. Expect a few sweeps on the run and check-down passes when he is in open space. Ultimately, that is the best way to use Robinson, and the Falcons know they must get him involved early. London and Pitts must also contribute. Overall, their targets were low in the opener.
The defense did a decent job of holding the Steelers to field-goal attempts. However, the Eagles possess a much better offense and will be a far more formidable challenge.
The Falcons will cover the spread if Cousins plays smart football and Robinson gets some opportunities. Then, the defense must prevent Hurts from running all over them and prevent Brown and Smith from doing any damage.
Why The Eagles Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Eagles won their opener despite inconsistent play from Hurts. Amazingly, they persevered despite his mistakes, and now they believe they have a good chance of dominating the NFL this season.
Hurts must bounce back. Then, he must find his receivers and also avoid turning the ball over. Barkley had an exceptional Eagles debut. Now, he hopes to run it back and deliver more production for his team. Brown and Smith did their jobs and expect to do more at home. Likewise, Goedert should also be involved.
It was not a perfect night for the defense. Regardless, they found a way to finish the job when needed, stopping the Packers when they attempted one last drive.
The Eagles will cover the spread if they can run the ball efficiently and avoid turning it over. Then, their defense must play opportunistic football.
Final Falcons-Eagles Prediction & Pick
The Falcons looked abysmal in their opener. While they definitely have a chance to make some inroads this season, pulling off an upset in Philadephia on Monday night seems like a long shot. Additionally, we expect Hurts to bounce back and make plays with his legs and arm. The Eagles are the better team and will come out and show it on Monday Night Football. Consequently, the Falcons do not have enough to hang with them.
Final Falcons-Eagles Prediction & Pick: Philadelphia Eagles: -6.5 (-114)
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