Monday Night Football Betting Picks: Atlanta Falcons Lay Points On Green Bay Packers
Even though we’re still in the first month of the season, Falcons already find themselves way behind in the NFC South and have their backs against the Packers’ wall in this week’s edition of Monday Night Football. Atlanta’s (0-3 SU, 1-2 ATS) redemption game could have hardly come against tougher opposition as they travel to Wisconsin to face red hot Green Bay (3-0 SU, 3-0 ATS) as the one-touchdown underdogs.
NFL Betting Line Movement
The Falcons opened as the 6-point underdog at BetOnline, but the questionable status of the star wide receiver Julio Jones who is listed as a game-time decision caused the line to rise to -7 or -7.5 at various sportsbooks. With a lot of firepower on both sides and shaky defenses, everyone expects a high-scoring game, so the total remained unusually high all week at 57.5.
Thoughts on Falcons
With two consecutive fourth-quarter collapses, Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn suddenly finds himself at the hot-seat aware that this matchup can decide his future with the franchise. These two bewildering losses, along with the first-round home defeat to the Seahawks, have one of the preseason favorites quickly moving out of the playoff picture. Tonight’s game is do-or-die for Quinn and his team and we’ll see how they cope with the sudden pressure this early in the season.
Looking from the DFS angle, Atlanta players present slim picking for fantasy players. QB Mat Ryann and WR Calvin Ridley can be counted on for steady returns, but both are priced way too high. The main off-season acquisition, RB Todd Gurley, although solid, has failed to produce eye-catching performances due to the Falcons’ predominantly passing gameplan. Julio Jones is questionable, and even if does play, probably won’t be able to stretch the field as he’s used to. This may be the game to stay away from all Atlanta players.
Packers News and Online Betting Picks
It seems that the Packers’ decision to draft a quarterback in the first round has only angered and motivated Aaron Rodgers to return to his old vintage self. The first three games saw star QB return to his hall-of-fame form averaging 297.5 passing yards and in addition to 9 touchdowns with zero interceptions. With a lot of questions looming over Atlanta’s defense, there’s no reason to believe that this streak won’t continue tonight making Rodgers top pick in the DFS.
One of the keys to unlocking Rodgers’ fantasy potential tonight may be the return of his favorite target WR Davante Adams who himself might be up for a big night. Adams’ potential presence could be especially important since the other star wide receiver Allen Lazard is out after undergoing core muscle surgery following last week’s excellent game against the Saints. The news increases the value of Marquez Valdez-Scantling who is the next name on the WR depth chart.
Monday Night Football Betting Pick: Falcons +7
Without their late collapses Falcons could have been standing at comfortable 2-1 at the moment. This team is clearly better than their place at the standing and certainly won’t go down without a fight. Despite three defeats, Matt Ryann had a strong start to the season, and Julio Jones, even if not fully fit, will open space for other receivers. With the Allan Lazard news and Davante Adams not being 100%, the +7 line may be just too high.
