The Atlanta Falcons were most online sportsbook players’ pick to win the NFC South. And the way the Falcons started off the season, by winning three straight against three teams from the NFC North, left fans feeling pretty confident in their sportsbook bets. But since that 3-0 start, the Falcons have had a complete turnaround, losing three in a row including a humbling 20-17 loss to Jay Cutler and the Miami Dolphins. The Falcons even had a Bye Week to try and get on the same page or at least snap their losing streak. But instead, Atlanta keeps steadily falling in the NFL’s power rankings. This past weekend, the Falcons had a chance to take out some of their frustration from last season’s Super Bowl loss on the New England Patriots, the team that cemented themselves into NFL history at Atlanta’s expense. But instead of righting the wrong, the Falcons suffered a 23-7 pounding.
This weekend, the Falcons will have to face another AFC East opponent, the New York Jets. The Jets are a much inferior team to the Pats but judging by this past Sunday’s results, so are the Falcons. What will offshore sportsbooks have to say about this Week 8 matchup?
Betting Atlanta
At 3-3, the Falcons are currently ranked 3rd in the NFC South. The 4-2 New Orleans Saints are leading the South at the moment, with the 4-3 Carolina Panthers close behind. It’s clear that the race in the NFC South is tighter than in most other divisions and Atlanta cannot afford to fall any further behind. Matt Ryan and the Falcons’ offense, which ranks 7th in the NFL, will be competing against the Jets and their 25th ranked defense. Specifically, New York ranks 20th against the pass and is 21st in the NFL in scoring, with an average of 23.0 points allotted per contest. The Falcons are putting up an average of 21.3 points per game and wield the league’s 7th ranked passing offense. With those figures in mind, offshore sportsbook betting fans can expect the Falcons to have a big day on offense this Sunday.
Betting New York
In short, it’ll be up to the Jets’ offense to keep up with the Falcons’ pace. The Jets, who have Josh McCown under center, have the league’s 21st scoring offense, 25th worst total offense, 20th worst passing offense, and 28th worst running attack. The Jets might need a miracle to keep up with an offense as dynamic as the Falcons. Sure, Atlanta’s O isn’t quite living up to the explosiveness they delivered last season, but they are every bit as versatile. Granted, the New England Patriots’ defense were able to figure them out this past weekend as they held Matt Ryan & Co. to just 7 points. And that’s a defense that most online NFL betting pundits thought was the worst in professional football. But leave it to Bill Belichick to deliver such a massive turnaround in little under a week. But Belichick is one of the greatest minds the NFL has ever seen and it would be beyond foolish to think that New York could do the same to the Falcons’ offense. Especially considering the rage this team has to be bringing to the gridiron this Sunday.
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Offshore Sportsbook Betting Odds:
Atlanta Falcons -4 ½ (-115) 46 (-110)
New York Jets +4 ½ (-105) 46 (-110)
