3% Take Atlanta (#291)

Since their fraudulent 10-1 start last year, the Eagles have gone 2-6 SU.  Only one of the two wins came by enough of a margin to cover this pointspread – a matchup vs the lowly ‘walking dead’ Giants on Monday Night Football last December.    The Eagles defense was torched on opening day; allowing 29 points and a whopping 7.1 yards per play; picking up right where they left off last year despite playing for their third defensive coordinator in the last three seasons.  Jalen Hurts and the offense struggled in the red zone – again – and leading receiver (both last year and in Week 1) AJ Brown got hurt; out with a hamstring injury tonight.  If the Eagles win on Monday Night Football, if not expecting it to come by any sort of margin.

Yes, the Falcons offense struggled mightily in Week 1, Kirk Cousins first game in a new offense.  I’m not expecting this to be a long term problem for an Atlanta offense that is simply loaded with skill position talent; more than capable of creating quick strike TD’s.  Defensively, the Falcons didn’t allow a TD in Week 1 while holding the Steelers to 4.1 yards per play.  Plain and simple -- catching more than a field goal with a defense that outperformed their opponent by three yards per play in Week 1 is a bet worth making, especially considering the spot: 0-1 start desperation facing 1-0 contentedness off an international trip.  Take the Falcons

Line Parameter: 3% at +4.5 or higher, 2% at +4 or lower