Atlanta (11-6) at Philadelphia (13-3)
When: Saturday, January 13th 2018
Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
Time: 4:35 ET | TV: NBC
Opening Odds: Atlanta -2/44
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The NFL Playoffs continue into the second weekend with an intriguing matchup to get it all started in the Divisional Round as the Philadelphia Eagles host the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday afternoon from Lincoln Financial Field. Although the Eagles had the NFC’s best mark this season and tied New England for the top overall team with a franchise-tying 13 wins, they find themselves as the first No. 1 seed in league history to enter its opening playoff game as an underdog. The Eagles will play with a chip on their shoulders when they battle the sixth-seeded Falcons, who are coming off a road win in Los Angeles. Philadelphia newspapers haven’t been kind since potential NFL MVP candidate Carson Wentz was lost for the season with an ACL injury, and the team hasn’t given its demanding fans much to cheer with 16 points in its last nine quarters. Last season’s NFL MVP, Matt Ryan, who hails from nearby Exton, Pa., recorded his fifth consecutive playoff game with at least a 100.0 passer rating in Atlanta’s 26-13 win over the Rams last weekend. The Eagles’ third-ranked rushing offense will face off against a Falcons’ defense that allowed just its second 100-yard rushing performance last week versus Rams RB Todd Gurley. This will be the first meeting between these teams since November of 2016 when Philadelphia came away with a 24-15 home victory, racking up 429 yards of total offense including 208 on the ground. Atlanta had just 11 first downs in that game and was 2-for-11 on third down and held the ball for just 21:50.
Julio Jones, who had nine receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown last week against the Rams, traditionally has been at his best against Philadelphia. The future Hall-of-Famer had 10 catches for 135 yards in the 2016 meeting and has 428 receiving yards in four games against the Eagles. The potent running back tandem of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman combined for 1,493 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns this season, but will go up against Philadelphia’s top-ranked rushing defense (79.2) after rushing for 124 yards against the Rams 28th-ranked rush defense last week. Atlanta’s defense has been getting better as the season goes on, allowing just 16.3 points per game over the last six. Linebacker Deion Jones recorded 10 tackles for the third straight game last week and has 52 over his last five.
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Nick Foles has taken over for Wentz and will have a lot of pressure on him. He came out of the gates in Week 15 with a four-touchdown performance versus the New York Giants by completing 23 of 49 passes for 202 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions over his last two appearances. Zach Ertz is a big part of the offense after earning his first Pro Bowl selection by finishing third among all NFL tight ends with 74 receptions for 824 yards. Ertz and wide receiver Nelson Agholor each had eight touchdown receptions, one shy of team leader Alshon Jeffery. The Eagles defense is ranked fourth overall (306.5) and fourth in points allowed (18.4).
This Atlanta team is starting to play like the one that went to the Super Bowl last season and probably should be favored in this game. On the other hand, the Eagles will be out to prove to everyone that they have a pretty solid team all-around and are not just a QB-driven team. Philly clinched early, so I wouldn’t take anything from their last two weeks of the regular season. They will be ready and so will the crowd.
Pick: Eagles +3
- Falcons are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 Saturday games.
- Falcons are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game.
- Falcons are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
- Falcons are 5-2 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Falcons are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games on grass.
- Falcons are 14-6 ATS in their last 20 vs. NFC.
- Falcons are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 playoff games.
- Falcons are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games.
- Falcons are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 playoff road games.
- Eagles are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 Divisional Playoffs games.
- Eagles are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss.
- Eagles are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Eagles are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games on grass.
- Eagles are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 home games.
- Eagles are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 vs. NFC.
- Eagles are 7-3 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Eagles are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Saturday games.
- Eagles are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
- Eagles are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 playoff games.
- Eagles are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Under is 6-0 in Falcons last 6 games overall.
- Under is 4-0 in Falcons last 4 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
- Over is 4-0 in Falcons last 4 Divisional Playoffs games.
- Under is 4-0 in Falcons last 4 games following a straight up win.
- Under is 6-0 in Falcons last 6 vs. NFC.
- Under is 5-0 in Falcons last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 5-1 in Falcons last 6 playoff games.
- Under is 4-1 in Falcons last 5 road games.
- Over is 8-2-1 in Falcons last 11 Saturday games.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Falcons last 6 playoff road games.
- Under is 20-6-1 in Falcons last 27 games on grass.
- Over is 3-1-1 in Falcons last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Over is 11-4-2 in Falcons last 17 games in January.
- Under is 5-2-1 in Falcons last 8 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game.
- Under is 7-0-1 in Eagles last 8 playoff home games.
- Under is 5-0 in Eagles last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Over is 4-0 in Eagles last 4 games after scoring less than 15 points in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in Eagles last 5 Divisional Playoffs games.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Eagles last 6 games in January.
- Under is 4-1 in Eagles last 5 home games.
- Under is 4-1 in Eagles last 5 games after accumulating less than 150 yards passing in their previous game.
- Under is 9-3-1 in Eagles last 13 playoff games.
- Over is 40-15-1 in Eagles last 56 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Under is 5-2 in Eagles last 7 games overall.
- Over is 5-2 in Eagles last 7 Saturday games.
- Under is 5-2 in Eagles last 7 games after accumulating less than 250 total yards in their previous game.
- Under is 5-2 in Eagles last 7 vs. NFC.
- Over is 15-6 in Eagles last 21 games following a ATS loss.
- Under is 11-5-1 in Eagles last 17 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game.
- Over is 47-22 in Eagles last 69 games following a straight up loss.
- Home team is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
- Under is 8-3-1 in the last 12 meetings.
- Falcons are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 meetings in Philadelphia.
