Atlanta Falcons vs New England Patriots Picks and Odds Nov 18

Atlanta Falcons vs New England Patriots Betting Preview

WagerTalk NFL handicapper Tony Finn offers his Atlanta Falcons vs New England Patriots Thursday Night Football betting preview. At the time of posting, the Patriots are a 6.5-point road favorite in Atlanta, with the total sitting at 47 points.

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Atlanta Falcons vs New England Patriots Predictions

Atlanta Falcons +6.5 vs New England Patriots
Total: 47 Points
New England is 26-10 against the spread in their last 36 games against a team with a losing record.

The National Football League Week 11 kicks off with Mac Jones. In a Thursday Night Football event, the New England Patriots stroll into Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium to oppose Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons. The Patriots opened as 6-point road favorites that quickly climbed to a 7-point spread on Monday night. The consensus total for this TNF contest is 47.5, up a half-point from Sunday’s opening 47 points.

The New England Patriots (6-4, 2nd in AFC – East) and the Atlanta Falcons (4-5, 4th in NFC – South) are all in for a Thursday Night Football matchup under the roof of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Thursday’s contest will be the third straight year the two franchises have met in the regular season. The Patriots versus Falcons matchup is on Thursday, Nov 18, with kickoff scheduled for 8:20pm ET and broadcast live by FOX/NFL Network.

The Patriots sport a four-game winning streak that last saw them issuing a 45-7 statement win to the Cleveland Browns. The Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan drove the Falcons to the Dallas 20 yard line in just four plays on their first possession of Sunday’s game in Cowboy Stadium. The Falcons settled for a field goal after the drive stalled out. It was the only points that the Falcons would score all afternoon in a 43-3 ugly loss to the Cowboys

New England Patriots

The Patriots head to Atlanta with the NFL’s second-longest win streak, having won four in a row. Rookie QB Mac Jones finished 19-of-23 for 198 yards passing. Jones is the first Patriots rookie with three or more TD passes in a game since the turn of the millennium when Drew Bledsoe (four) threw four against the Miami Dolphins of the 1993 season. In addition, Jones is the first rookie in franchise history with three or more passing TDs and no interceptions in a game.

The Patriots’ offense is beginning to find a rhythm, and success has followed. New England has outscored their opponents 150-50 during the team’s four-game winning streak. The Patriots are just a half-game behind the first-place Buffalo Bills in the AFC East.

New England’s rushing attack finds its footing. The Patriots’ average of 114.5 rushing yards per game. Rookie fourth-round selection and tailback Rhamondre Stevenson has run for 162 yards on 30 carries over the last two weeks.

The Patriots’ defense held Cleveland to 217 total yards and recorded five sacks last week.

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons are back on the field Thursday night, just four days after the Cowboys put a massive 43-3 beatdown on the team. Unfortunately, the Falcons offense isn’t working. The errors in the Falcons offense scheme are not what Matt Ryan is doing or not doing. Instead, teammates that don’t have the skillset to execute the game plan properly. Injuries and player personnel that don’t fit the scheme are sending this Falcons roster and the franchise into a tailspin.

The Cowboys do not have the most dynamic defense in the league, but it is incredible how good the Falcons’ offense looks at times. The Cowboys held the Falcons to season worsts in first downs (11) and third-down conversions (1 of 11). In addition, with 214 yards, Atlanta had just one more than its season-low.

Injuries to key personnel, e.g., Cordarrelle Patterson (ankle sprain) and top receiver Calvin Ridley (personal), have handcuffed Ryan, the offense, and even the Atlanta defense. Ryan’s top receiving option, because of injuries, is rookie TE Kyle Pitts.

That Atlanta trailed 36-3 at halftime of last Sunday’s loss to the Cowboys, with a 33-point deficit at halftime, was the largest for the Falcons since 1967.

Ryan finished the game with a porous 21.4 rating. He was 9 of 21 for 117 yards was pulled before the end of the third quarter with Atlanta down 43-3.

Atlanta Falcons vs New England Patriots Injury Report

CB Jalen Mills (arm) left in the game in the first quarter but did return.

DE Deatrich Wise Jr. (illness) missed Tuesday’s practice

15 Patriots were limited participants. The list includes offensive tackle Trent Brown (calf), running back Damien Harris (concussion), linebacker Dont’a Hightower (ankle), guard Shaq Mason (abdomen), and linebacker Kyle Van Noy (groin).

Three Falcons sat out Tuesday’s practice: linebacker Daren Bates (groin), tight end Hayden Hurst (ankle), and cornerback Kendall Sheffield (hamstring).

There was a time this month, in early November, in which I believed the Falcons had improved their playbook, the play calling, and the execution. This Atlanta roster is returning to the team they were since the Super Bowl meltdown against the Patriots. No evidence supports backing this Atlanta team. New England minus anything is safer and easier to swallow than Atlanta plus anything.

🏈 Which teams are on upset alert this weekend? Who will help you cash some tickets? Join @PrezWagerTalk for the #NFL Week 11 Prezidential Address as he breaks down every game on this week’s card, with an assist from @BumpSports in the prop market.https://t.co/SIejvlxidR

— WagerTalk (@WagerTalk) November 18, 2021

Bet On It

The barking dogs, sandwiches, teasers, and steam plays are back! Join Kelly, Marco, Gianni and Ralph every Wednesday for Bet On It as we discuss the NFL Week 11 slate from a variety of betting angles. We cover this Atlanta Falcons vs New England Patriots contest right off the bat at the 0:45 timestamp.

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