The unbeaten Atlanta Falcons will look to stay perfect both straight up and against the spread when they host the Redskins on Sunday. The Falcons have been an early season surprise and one of the most dominant teams in the NFL so far, and they’re 4-1 SU in their last five games as favorites against the Redskins.
ODDS
Atlanta opened as an 8-point favorite with the total at 47. The Falcons were laying points for the first time last week, and covered with a win over Houston, going a perfect 4-0 ATS this season. Many bettors aren’t convinced that the Falcons are for real and the line was wagered down a full point to -7.
KEY INJURIES
Jordan Reed – Sustained a concussion in the final minute of Washington’s win over Philadelphia and must clear the NFL’s protocol before playing. The concussion came after he first departed the game with a strained MCL in his right knee and an ankle injury that kept him off the field for a few plays.
Justin Durant – Injured his elbow in last week’s win over Houston and the starting linebacker is questionable to play this week. If the Falcons leading tackler is unable to go Sunday, Joplo Bartu would take on the responsibilities on the weak side.
KEY MISMATCH
The Redskins’ secondary has been decimated by injury and suspension since the start of training camp. That’s why cornerback Chris Culliver, playing with a sore knee that kept him out of practice during the week, was praised by his teammates after the Philadelphia win. Culliver struggled in coverage. The Eagles twice beat him on deep touchdown throws. But the Redskins just don’t have the bodies to go without him. Cornerback DeAngelo Hall is out at least another few weeks with injuries and David Amerson, the team’s second-round pick in 2013, was cut last month. Things are so bad Washington promoted Quinton Dunbar to the active roster this week. He was a receiver at the start of training camp and only switched to corner because the defense needed bodies. The Falcons average 289.8 yards through the air, led by quarterback Matt Ryan and the NFL’s receiving leader Julio Jones.
KEY STAT
+6 – Atlanta’s turnover margin. The Falcons have just two giveaways on the season and haven’t committed a turnover since Matt Ryan’s two interceptions in the opener. Washington has seven turnovers and is minus-four in turnover margin.
BETTING ANGLE
The Redskins aren’t undefeated, but they should feel good about where they are after dealing with numerous injuries and, of course, the Robert Griffin III saga. They rallied for a 23-20 win over the Eagles last weekend despite totaling 110 yards in penalties. Though Washington has won half as many games as it did last season, it must snap a five-game road losing skid that dates to a 20-17 overtime victory at Dallas on Oct. 27. That’s the only win in the last 15 away games for the Redskins, who fell 32-21 to the Giants in their lone road contest this season and failed to cover. Washington is 2-2 ATS this season, but just 5-12 ATS in its last 17 games overall.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Atlanta would love to turn this one into shootout because the Redskins simply don’t have the offensive firepower to keep up. And the Falcons likely get their wish dealing with a banged up Washington secondary. But the Skins surprised Philly last week with a gritty performance, showing there’s no quit in them. Quarterback Kirk Cousins needs to manage the game and not turn the ball over. If he does, which we’ve seen too often from him, the Skins could get buried. But they are capable of slowing down the game. They will run the ball in hopes of keeping it close and stealing a victory. The Falcons have enjoyed a proper balance of run and pass between Ryan and running back Devonta Freeman. The ground game has been lacking for Ryan the past few years, putting too much pressure on him to win games by himself. That’s not the case this year. Washington may not win this one on the road, but the Skins are getting a lot of points and will cover.
Atlanta 26, Washington 23
The NFL odds for this Sunday contest were first released by BookMaker and the Falcons were positioned as 8-point favorites with a total of 47. Now you can wager in-game while the action unfolds with BookMaker's live betting option.
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