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Detroit began the year with a nice comeback win over the Arizona Cardinals. They played their second game of the season on “Monday Night Football” against the New York Giants. Matthew Stafford recently signed the biggest contract in NFL history and will need to live up to it as this game could be a shootout.
Detroit could turn some heads with an upset victory but it will be tough to pick against a Falcons team that is playing well once again in 2017.
This matchup in Week 3 of the regular season will take place on Sunday, September 24, 2017, at 1 p.m. ET at Ford Field.
Odds Analysis
The spread and scoring totals will come out after the Lions play their game on Monday night. The Falcons were good enough on Sunday that they figure to be slight favorites despite playing on the road.
The scoring total should be high. Detroit has a good offense and a suspect defense. While the Falcons’ defense is better than it gets credit for, there will be a ton of passes in this one, and subsequently, a lot of points.
Injury Report
Vic Beasley – The Falcons’ defensive end injured his hamstring in the second half of the Week 2 win over Green Bay and did not return. It’s not yet known how severe the injury is for the 25-year-old. Beasley was named a First Team All-Pro last season in just his second year in the league. He led the NFL in sacks with 15.5. It’s a big loss for the Falcons, as they hope Beasley is in the lineup to pressure Stafford.
Ryan Schraeder – The Falcons offensive tackle suffered a concussion in the win over the Packers and did not return. Schrader is a key piece of the offensive line and provides much-needed protection for quarterback Matt Ryan. Ty Sambrailo filled in during Schrader’s absence, so check to see which one will start against Detroit.
Matchup To Watch
Julio Jones vs. Darius Slay -- Jones is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL and quarterback Matt Ryan looks to him often. If the Lions have any chance of slowing down the Falcons, they must keep Jones reasonably in check. That responsibility could fall on Slay, the team’s top cornerback.
He is used to covering some of the game’s best pass-catchers but this one is a huge test. Jones is an athletic freak with great size, and will make Slay work on every play. The Falcons have a lot of weapons on offense, and even if Jones doesn’t have a huge game, can still put up a lot of points. However, if he surpasses 100 yards, it seems even more likely that Atlanta lights up the scoreboard.
Slay and the rest of the Lions need to force the other wideouts to beat them in this one.
Free ATS Pick
The Lions are a decent team but there is no stopping this Falcons team right now. The defense continues to get better while the offense is elite. The road game will make it tougher to communicate, but if Atlanta gets up early it will quiet the crowd.
Take the Falcons to win this game and they will likely cover the spread if it isn’t exorbitant. Check on the scoring total. If it isn’t high, the “over” may be the play.
NFL Odds: Falcons 31, Lions 24
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