The Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants will face off in a Week 3 battle of winless teams. It's time to continue our NFL odds series and make a Falcons-Giants prediction and pick.
The Falcons enter this game coming off two abysmal weeks of football. They were humiliated in Atlanta by the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1 and blown out on the road by the division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2. No one expected the Falcons to contend for a playoff spot, but rookie head coach Arthur Smith's unit looks like a bottom-five team in the NFL.
The Giants haven't performed quite as poorly, but their record is also 0-2. New York delivered a typical performance in Week 2 when it dropped a game against the Washington Football Team because of self-inflicted wounds like drops, penalties, and generally undisciplined play. The Giants need to rebound, and quickly. Luckily, they have the perfect opportunity to do so against this poor Atlanta team.
Here's how the bookmakers have set the lines for Sunday's game.
NFL Odds: Falcons-Giants Odds
Atlanta Falcons +3 (-114)
New York Giants -3 (-106)
Over 47 1/2 points (-108)
Under 47 1/2 points (-112)
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Why The Falcons Could Cover The Spread
So far, Atlanta's vaunted offense has been weighed down by problems along the offensive line. Over two games, Matt Ryan has been hit 15 times and sacked on four occasions. Luckily for the Falcons, they encounter a Giants defense that hasn't pressured opposing passers well at all. Against the Eagles, New York's defensive line notched only one sack and two quarterback hits throughout the entire game. This isn't an intimidating pass rush, so quarterback Matt Ryan should be throwing from a clean pocket for the first time all season.
New York has had similar problems along the offensive line. Over two games, the Giants have allowed a whopping 10 quarterback hits and six sacks. Big Blue has also been completely incapable of running the ball this season, proven by the fact that they haven't had a running back put up more than 57 yards in a game. New York is an undisciplined team that lacks consistency, so there's a good chance that the Falcons can put things together defensively against one of the worst squads in the league.
Why The Giants Could Cover The Spread
One advantage New York has heading into this game is health. The Falcons could be missing cornerback AJ Terrell and wide receiver Russell Gage in this contest, two players who are huge parts of the team. Terrell is particularly important, as he's Atlanta's top cornerback. The Falcons are already thin in the secondary, and Terrell's absence would lead the Falcons to send out one of the poorest sets of starting cornerbacks in the league. Even the Giants should be able to take advantage of a cornerback corps manned by TJ Green, Fabian Moreau, and Isaiah Oliver.
The Giants are one of the most underrated defensive units in the league. Cornerbacks James Bradberry and Adoree Jackson form one of the premier duos in all of football, and the defensive line has proven itself to be a solid but unspectacular squad. Atlanta has already fallen short of expectations on the offensive side of things, with Matt Ryan tossing more interceptions than touchdowns on the year. The Falcons have also struggled to run the ball in any capacity, as they've only posted 178 rushing yards over two games. New York should be able to handle business on the defensive side of the ball in this one.
Final Falcons-Giants Prediction & Pick
This should be a close game, but New York should be able to notch its first victory. The Giants will dominate the line of scrimmage on defense, and the secondary won't allow much to a passing game that looks significantly worse than expected. Take the Giants with confidence in this one.
FINAL PICK: New York Giants -3 (-106)
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