NFL Betting Odds: Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons

Added on Nov 25, 2010 by Jack Thurman in

NFL

A couple of divisional title contenders will meet at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Sunday as the Falcons host the Green Bay Packers. Atlanta is 8-2 and leading the NFC South while Green Bay is 7-3 and tied with Chicago atop the NFC North. Both teams have been playing well of late and enter this matchup on identical 4 game winning streaks.

Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons
November 28, 2010 10:00 AM Pacific

You’ve got to give the Green Bay Packers credit for dealing with a ton of injuries this season–particularly on the defensive side of the ball–yet continuing to win football games. That being said, we’re surprised at the lack of respect the Atlanta Falcons are getting in this matchup. We’ll admit that we haven’t always been sold on this Falcons team and didn’t really expect much of them heading into the season but its impossible to deny that they’ve taken care of business and particularly at home. Atlanta is 5-0 SU/3-2 ATS and since 2008 are 18-3 SU/14-7 ATS at the Georgia Dome. 2008 is also the year that Mike Smith took over as Falcons’ head coach and a lot of credit has to go to him for this solid performance.

Credit also needs to go to Atlanta’s QB Matt Ryan–the Falcons have now won 14 straight games with Ryan under center. With all due respect to Aaron Rodgers–who has as much skill as any quarterback in the league–he doesn’t have the balanced offensive attack at his disposal that Ryan does. Green Bay’s running game has struggled all season and now they’re without their best RB, Ryan Grant. They’re also without TE Jermichael Finley who has been one of Rodgers’ most dependable targets this year. The defense may be even more depleted by injury and their secondary has been a concern all season. They’ve been fortunate to not have faced an elite level quarterback or balanced offense this season but they’ll be facing one here. Ultimately, we have to go back to that stellar home field record and the 14 game winning streak with Matt Ryan at quarterback. Even if you’re assuming that the Packers and Falcons are equal in terms of talent–and even that’s a stretch in our opinion–it’s difficult to make a case that Green Bay should be less than a -3′ point underdog to a team with such a strong home field advantage. We think Atlanta has a number of matchup advantages and with their formidable play at the Georgia Dome we’ll gladly lay the small price.

Bet Atlanta Falcons -1′ over Green Bay Packers