The Patriots head to Atlanta for a key Thursday Night Football game. The Pats have been red hot, while the Falcons got absolutely wrecked by the Cowboys last week, breaking them out of the hot streak they had been in the midst of. Atlanta even trailed by 28-3 at one point in that game, and it’s funny now that they have the Patriots the very next week.
New England has been an exceptional road team and will hope to continue that here. They have rebounded after a slow start to improve to 6-4, even beating the Browns 45-7 in a surprise drubbing last week. They allowed an early TD and then just ran the score up on a banged-up Cleveland team. The Pats are dangerous and very much a dark horse AFC contender.
As for Atlanta, last week’s loss had to sting. They fell to 4-5 and could have pulled even with Carolina had they not stunk up the whole joint for 60 minutes. The NFC South is pretty wide open, with the Bucs playing poor football of late, so they need to step up and play hard. They need to forget about that Super Bowl against the Pats and just come out playing hard.
This is a massive game for both sides, a high-stakes TNF battle.
Betting Odds & Lines
The spread for Thursday is set at NE -6.5. The over/under is set at 47 points. The NE line is -286, while the latter is ATL +240.
Pats Looking for Another Road Win
Coming away with victories away from home has been the norm for the Pats all season. Winning has been easy for them of late, and at 6-4, they are in prime position to return to the playoffs after a one-year drought. They have been able to overcome some key injuries to start strong and pull some upsets.
They knew Mac Jones would be good, but the poise he has brought as a rookie has been fantastic and just what they needed. The run game has been there for them too, and all facets have been there. The money they dropped for new receivers and tight ends is looking like it was worth it.
They need to make sure Matt Ryan never gets comfortable.
Atlanta Looks for .500 Record
At 4-5, Atlanta’s last loss brought them here, and they have a short week to try and forget about it. This is a game they have to have, and if they fall short, it will not be good. They are a very talented bunch that has likely already been overachieving. But they’re in the race.
The Falcons need to be better, and they know it. They have an offense that has done some very good things but got silenced a week ago. Not having Calvin Ridley around is tough, but it is certainly not the end of the world. They have enough pass-catchers that it can be offset.
They need to make sure the Pats run game isn’t too lethal.
Pats Win
Sorry ATL, but a home loss is in the cards. NE still has your number.
Betting Picks:
- Patriots -6.5
- Over 47
100% up to $3,000 Bonus
Bovada is our most recommended ONLINE CASINO and POKER ROOM for US players with excellent deposit options. Get your 100% signup bonus today.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.