This week’s Monday Night Football matchup features two teams who are struggling to get it right this year as the (1-5) New York Giants travel to take on the (2-4) Atlanta Falcons today (8.15pm ET Monday on ESPN).
It’s a battle of last place teams, who despite the season being less than halfway through, are looking like they have already been eliminated from playoff contention.
Finding Mediocrity
It has not been a good season for the Giants. The team opened their season with back-to-back losses against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Dallas Cowboy before getting their first and only win on the road against the Houston Texans. New York lost their next three, allowing opponents to score over 30 points each time.
The team has been sputtering and it has led to questions of Eli Manning’s fate, with some of the bigger US sportsbooks even producing betting odds as to where the Giants’ QB will play next season. Traded to New York on the day of the draft, Manning has been with the Giants for his entire career but the way things have been going the past two years, it could be time to move on for the two-time Super Bowl MVP.
Atlanta opened their season on the road against the defending Super Bowl champions in a game that was a rematch from last year’s divisional playoffs. The outcome was the same: the Falcons lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in almost the exact fashion. That heartbreaking loss seemed to set a tone as while the Falcons were victorious the following week against the Carolina Panthers, the team lost their next three against the New Orleans Saints, Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers. They finally got back into the win column last week as the Falcons defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for just their second victory of the season.
Both the Falcons and Giants have woefully underachieved this year. The Giants brutal seven game stretch to open their season has been the biggest obstacle to the team finding success. The Falcons had a tough schedule to start their season as well and so far have struggled to get their way past it. Both teams have had their issues but both also have a wealth of talent to rely upon to get better. That being said, there is potential in both locker rooms for the teams to turn things around this season.
Our Preview’s New York Giants vs Atlanta Falcons Picks & Betting Predictions Conclusion
The Giants have Odell Beckham Jr. and Saquon Barkley, two top-10 offensive players. The Falcons have Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, two top-three offensive players. Yet both of these teams are in the position they are in. Offense is only part of the puzzle, as defensively neither the Giants or Falcons have been able to do much of anything. New York has the 17th best defense and Atlanta ranks 29th and second to last among NFC teams.
Offensively, no one is denying the game changing weapons both the Giants and Falcons possess. No one is arguing the merits of what these teams have done offensively in the past. This year, both have really struggled and with seemingly no end in sight. Our New York Giants vs Atlanta Falcons predictions are:
- Looking at the over/under on the total points for this game, it’s easy to see the total going over the projected 52.5 to 53.5 points. As mentioned earlier in this preview, neither of these teams can really play defense right now so this should be a high-scoring affair. Look for lots of points to go up on the board especially with the Falcons’ recent stretch of games hitting the over. Atlanta has given up 37.5 points over their last four games combined with the team itself scoring 34.5 points. They have given up over 415 yards per game as well. All of that adds up to a pretty high total. Bet over 52.5pts @ best odds of -109 with BetOnline.
- As for the spread, the Falcons are favored by 3.5 to 4.5 points on the spread, depending on the bookmaker. The Giants have played close games this season, most of which came before the recent three-game losing streak. The team has also been blown out quite a few times. It’s hard to predict which team and which offense will show up. If it’s good Eli, the Giants should be able to keep this one relatively close but if it’s bad Eli, expect a pretty lopsided final score. Manning is not a bad QB but his season has been subpar and, historically on the road, he has struggled more than at home. Expect Manning and company to go to 1-6 as their forgetful season continues. Look for the Falcons to get their third win of the year and second in a row. Expect the Falcons to cover the -3.5pt spread @ -115 with Intertops.
Marilee writes on NFL, MLB, NBA & tennis for USA Betting. Another area of her sporting journalistic expertise is pro wrestling. A native of Philadelphia and a big Eagles fan, she has been a sports writer for many major websites including Bleacher Report and Rant Sports. She started her journalistic career early, as sports editor for her college newspaper.