The Falcons go for their second straight upset win over the NFC East when they face the Giants. Atlanta escaped with a win over the Eagles on Monday night, getting the Dan Quinn era started on a positive note. The Giants may be seeing an end to the Tom Coughlin era after a disastrous loss in Dallas that saw them blow a game with horrible clock management down the stretch.
ODDS
The Giants hit the board as a 2-point favorite but saw the line move to -2.5. The total opened at 51. Atlanta is 0-4 SU and ATS in its last four September road games and has lost its last three games when playing the Giants in New York. The total has gone under in nine of the last 10 head-to-head meetings.
KEY INJURIES
Devin Hester – Continues to battle a toe injury that shelved him for the opener. The Falcons reserve receiver and kick return threat is questionable for Sunday. Eric Weems returned kicks in his absence.
Ereck Flowers – Hurt his ankle early in Sunday’s game but played through the injury. He’ll have an MRI to determine the extent of the problem. The Giants can’t afford to lose their starting left tackle since they are already thin on the offensive line.
Jon Beason – Didn’t play Sunday as he continues to rehab a knee injury. His absence was noticeable against the Cowboys. Beason is questionable to play against the Falcons. Uani Unga played well filling in at middle linebacker.
KEY MISMATCH
A major question mark entering the season, the Falcons offensive line shined against the Eagles on Monday night. And quarterback Matt Ryan understands he has to take advantage of every opportunity, particularly when the line plays better than expected. Philadelphia’s vaunted defensive front was credited with just one sack and hit Ryan three times. The rebuilt unit with tackles Jake Matthews and Ryan Schraeder, guards Andy Levitre and Chris Chester and center Mike Person did an admirable job, with some chip help here and there from the tight ends and running backs. The Giants had a non-existent pass rush last week, with the defensive front not even bothering to get hands up in the air to at least knock down passes. It made for an ugly showing resulting in 356 passing yards allowed.
KEY STAT
+3 – New York’s turnover margin. The Giants snatched defeat from the jaws of victory last week but were in position to win by forcing three Dallas turnovers, including a pair of interceptions. Atlanta’s Matt Ryan tossed a pair of picks against the Eagles and the Falcons are not good enough – even against the Giants – to overcome losing the turnover battle.
BETTING ANGLE
I think it’s safe to say the Giants won’t blow a game any time soon by mismanaging the clock. Coach Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning botched Sunday’s game so bad, it will forever be known as “The Decision”, as in the decision to not score. Manning told running back Rashad Jennings not to score, which is weird because if he had scored on first down or second down, as he insists he could have, the Giants would have had a 10-point lead with less than two minutes to play. Then on third down Manning threw an incomplete pass, again stopping the clock. But because of three turnovers, the Giants were in position to win on the road against a division rival. And they didn’t. Most weeks with this defense, the Giants are not likely to be in a position to win. To miss a chance this good is a crusher.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Falcons are coming off a surprising upset of the Eagles in their opener, giving new coach Dan Quinn a win, while the Giants gave one away. An injury-riddled team that’s trying to avoid a third straight losing season and already New York is making headlines for all the wrong reasons. So I’m going with the Giants to win. Emotion is a huge part of the game and the Falcons were a charged group in their home opener. That wears off in this game and you know Manning and his coach want nothing more than to erase the memory of that disaster in Dallas. Watch for the Giants to target Odell Beckham Jr. a bit more against the Falcons after he was removed from the passing game by the Cowboys last week. New York goes to its bread and butter to get the home win.
New York 27, Atlanta 23
BookMaker opened the spread for this Sunday game at -2 in favor of the Giants. The NFL lines total surfaced at 51. Minute-by-minute spreads, totals and props are available for this game using the live betting platform at BookMaker.
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The matchup between the Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants will kick off Sunday, September 20, 2015, at 1 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium. The contest will be broadcast regionally on FOX.
