Giants Falcons Odds
Posted by Jimmy Boyd - Google+
The Atlanta Falcons (11-2) host the New York Giants (8-5) Sunday at 1:00 PM ET in NFC non-division action. Oddsmakers have listed the Falcons as a two-point favorite and have set the total at 51.0.
Why Atlanta Covers
In case last week’s 30-20 road loss to the Carolina Panthers does not serve as enough motivation, last season’s 24-2 playoff loss to the New York Giants should stoke the fire.
The Falcons have been an awesome investment in bounce-back spots. In fact, they are on a 17-4 against the spread run in games following one or more consecutive losses. They have won these contests by an average score of 30.1 to 19.5. It is also worth noting that the Falcons are on a 12-4 against the spread run in games following a road loss and a perfect 10-0 against the spread run in games following a defeat of 10 points or more. Atlanta has bounced back to win by an average of 12.1 points in these 10 instances.
In addition, it is significant that Atlanta did not cover the number in its last game. Consider that it is on a 21-7 against the spread run following one or more consecutive games in which it did not cover the spread.
The Falcons are one of the top offensive teams in the NFL. They rank eighth in the league in both scoring and total offense with 25.9 points and 376.2 yards per game. They have especially been potent through the air where they rank fourth in the NFL with 289.2 yards per game.
Atlanta’s aerial attack could cause big problems for a New York defense that ranks 27th in the league against the pass with 252.8 yards allowed per game.
It is also worth noting that the Falcons are an unbeaten 6-0 at home where they have won by an average of 5.2 points.
Why New York Covers
This game means more to the Giants. They lead the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys by only one game in the NFC East so they can’t afford any slip-ups. The Falcons, on the other hand, have already clinched the NFC South division and have two more wins than the next-closest teams in the NFC.
The defending Super Bowl champs have been a terrific investment when matched up against quality opponents. Consider that they are 11-3 against the spread versus teams that have a winning record since the beginning of last season. They have won these contests by an average score of 26.9 to 20.8.
It is also worth noting that the Giants are on a 30-16 against the spread run over the last two decades versus teams that have won more than 75.0 percent of their games on the season.
The Giants have had Atlanta’s number. With last season’s dominant performance in the playoffs, New York has now won each of the last four games in the series. These wins have come by an average of 14.8 points. New York covered the number in three of these four matchups.
New York has been very competitive on the road this season. It is 3-3 away from home with two losses of two points or less.
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