Falcons vs. Packers: Can the Falcons Rally Against the Pack? Entering Week 7, Matt Ryan coruscated bright above every other quarterback in the NFL. Through the first half of the season, Ryan proved himself as the one gunslinger most worth your bet on NFL money lines. No other quarterback had a higher QBR than Matt Ryan, but after this past weekend’s game against the San Diego Chargers, Ryan has fallen to the No. 2 spot for quarterback efficiency. But was the loss against the Chargers really on Ryan’s shoulders?
After looking over the highlights, the answer should be pretty clear to fans of betting sportsbooks. The Chargers played one hell of a game, but it was the Falcons who let them come back into the game after Atlanta’s 17-point lead early in the game. But even after San Diego managed to crawl back into the contest, the Falcons still failed to put the nail in the coffin. Late in the 4th quarter, the game was tied 27-30 in Atlanta’s favor. The Falcons had the ball and desperately needed to put points on the board, or run the clock out. Instead, Matt Ryan tried to complete a pass to Julio Jones amidst double coverage.
Jones is usually money, but Ryan’s decision was extremely poor and the pass was intercepted. This let the Chargers march down the field and tie the game before regulation ended. Once in overtime, the Falcons failed to convert on 4th down around the 50-yard mark. Therefore, giving San Diego the ball with excellent field position, and unlike the Falcons, the Chargers would not let this opportunity slip through their fingers. Now the Falcons must recollect and try to win against one of the better teams within the NFC, the Green Bay Packers. What do the bookmakers have to say about this matchup?
Week 8 – Sunday, October 30th
Green Bay Packers +3 (-120) 53 (-110)
Atlanta Falcons -3 (EVEN) 53 (-110)
Despite the fact that the Falcons have more losses than the Packers, the best betting sportsbooks are still siding with Atlanta. Of course, the Falcons haven’t enjoyed their Bye Week more, so Atlanta’s 4-3 record is not a deal breaker. As previously mentioned, the Falcons will be trying to bounce back after their heart-crushing loss this past weekend. If there’s one team that knows how to rebound, it’s the Green Bay Packers.
This past Thursday, the Packers put on a strong showing against the Chicago Bears. The Packers-Bears rivalry is one of the most heated in the NFL’s history, and it’s no understatement to say that the Packers were breaking bones this past Thursday. But back to my previous point, the Packers were able to get it done against the Bears, despite coming off a disappointing loss against the Dallas Cowboys the previous week. In other words, Green Bay knows how to handle a hangover. But how do they matchup against the Falcons?
Unfortunately for Packers fans things are not looking good. The Falcons have the 2nd best passing offense in the league, while Green Bay’s pass defense is the 15th worst in the NFL. Coupled with the fact that the Packers secondary is depleted due to injury, and it’s pretty obvious both Ryan and Jones will be having field days. With this in mind, it’s easy to understand why betting sportsbooks are siding with the Falcons this Sunday.