“They just won’t stop backing off and competing”. Jones and RB Devonta Freeman have combined to produce 58.5 percent of the Falcons’ total offense and Freeman would be asked to pick up the slack if Jones isn’t healthy. Still, everything starts with Julio Jones. (NFL, NBA, MLB, National Hockey League and NCAA) Vernon Croy has made his living wagering on sports since 1992 and has been one of the top handicappers in the industry for more than 15 years. I have the Falcons winning with a 38-27 score. The Falcons have an extremely easy schedule this season, and they are taking advantage of it.
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Up next, the Tennessee Titans.
The only real downside for the Saints was the kicking of Zach Hocker.
Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has taken a lot of heat lately, especially after last week’s loss against the Philadelphia Eagles. This defense is absolutely awful. White’s lack of production could open things up against the Saints pass defense, which has struggled of late. Brees, who missed a game earlier this year due to an injury, enters the TNF game with 65 fantasy football points in four games and six touchdown passes. The Saints have a whopping $31.8 million in dead money on their salary cap, with a combined $25.5 million devoted to four players that are no longer on their roster: TE Jimmy Graham, LG Ben Grubbs, LB Junior Galette and LB Curtis Lofton. On September 25, 2006, New Orleans really needed Atlanta in the Saints’ first home game back in the dome post-Katrina.
They’re down, but not out just yet. The Saints (1-4) can’t run the ball or stop the run and only winless Detroit has more giveaways in the NFC. Clearly this is a must win game for Sean Payton. Operating behind a patchwork offensive line and without a reliable running game, he essentially carried the Saints to victory.
The Saints will have 10 days before their next game against the 3-2 Indianapolis Colts on October. 25. “We can’t wait to get down there and go play”.
The -3.5 favorite Falcons are finding success on offense this year, gaining an average of 280 yards per game through the air and 126 yards rushing per game.
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The Falcons have excellent balance between the run and the pass offensively. But two lost fumbles, one on the New Orleans’ 9-yard line and another on the New Orleans’ 17, left them frustrated. The Patriots look like a team on a mission as they’re off to a 4-0 start, and nobodies been able to slow the force that is Tom Brady, Julian Edelman, and Rob Gronkowski. With all that being said, this is still a divisional rivalry game, and history has shown that the shortened practice weeks that come with playing Thursday night games can serve as the great equalizer for overmatched teams.
