Atlanta (5-4) at Seattle (6-3)
When: Monday, November 20th 2017
Where: CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA
Time: 8:30 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Seattle -3/45
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The Seattle Seahawks will have had 10-days rest in preparation for this week’s Monday Night Football battle with the Atlanta Falcons, but that isn’t enough time to find an equal replacement for one of the league’s best defensive players. Cornerback Richard Sherman suffered a ruptured Achilles in Seattle’s victory over the Arizona Cardinals on November 9th. Still, the Seahawks are just one game behind the L.A. Rams in the NFC West heading into this week’s action and have a win over them already. The Seahawks had their four-game winning streak snapped at home to Washington two weeks ago, but rebounded nicely in a 22-16 win in Arizona. Atlanta, which had lost four of five before dominating Dallas last weekend, also is expected to be without a marquee player after running back Devonta Freeman sustained a concussion against the Cowboys. It will be a rematch of last season’s NFC Divisional Round playoff matchup, won by the Falcons 36-20 behind three touchdown passes from reigning league MVP Matt Ryan.
Atlanta’s offense got back on track last week after failing to score more than 17 points in the previous four losses, while the defense put the clamps on the Cowboys’ offense. The 27 they scored on Dallas was the most since they put 30 on Detroit in Week 3. Backup Tevin Coleman, who rushed for a season-high 83 yards after Freeman was injured early last week, ran for 57 yards on 11 carries in last season’s playoff win over Seattle. With Sherman out, expect Ryan to target Julio Jones more, who has 49 catches but has scored just one touchdown all season. Jones has 18 receptions for 266 yards in two career matchups versus Seattle. Defensive end Adrian Clayborn is coming off a franchise-record six-sack game against Dallas. Atlanta is seventh in total defense (311.9) and sixth against the pass (198.2).
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Sherman is not the only member of Seattle’s secondary that will be missing as safety Kam Chancellor suffered neck stingers in the last game and is likely out for the season. The good news is, fellow safety Earl Thomas is expected to return after missing two games (hamstring). Running back Eddie Lacy is expected to return after sitting out one week with a groin injury, but the ground game still ranks 22nd in the league at 100.7 yards a game. Russell Wilson, who is having an underrated season, leads the NFC with 2,543 yards passing while throwing for 19 touchdowns against six interceptions. Doug Baldwin has a team-high 54 catches while tight end Jimmy Graham has six TDs in the past five games and has 55 catches and eight touchdowns in eight regular-season games against Atlanta.
I expected last week for the Falcons to start playing better and they did just that against Dallas. Remember, this team should have won the Super Bowl last year. I have to go against Seattle in this one not only because they are banged-up in the secondary, but penalties are killing them. They survived last week with 12 flags, but committed 16 the week before in a home loss to the Redskins.
Pick: Falcons +2
- Falcons are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 Monday games.
- Falcons are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 vs. NFC.
- Falcons are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Falcons are 6-13 ATS in their last 19 games following a straight up win of more than 14 points.
- Falcons are 3-11 ATS in their last 14 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game.
- Falcons are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games.
- Falcons are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
- Falcons are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games in Week 11.
- Falcons are 0-6-1 ATS in their last 7 games after allowing less than 250 total yards in their previous game.
- Seahawks are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 Monday games.
- Seahawks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in Week 11.
- Seahawks are 4-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Seahawks are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games in November.
- Seahawks are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games following a straight up win.
- Seahawks are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
- Seahawks are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
- Seahawks are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Seahawks are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Over is 5-0-1 in Falcons last 6 games following a straight up win of more than 14 points.
- Under is 4-0 in Falcons last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 15-1 in Falcons last 16 games on fieldturf.
- Over is 6-1-1 in Falcons last 8 games following a ATS win.
- Under is 5-1 in Falcons last 6 games overall.
- Under is 5-1 in Falcons last 6 games after allowing less than 150 yards passing in their previous game.
- Over is 4-1 in Falcons last 5 Monday games.
- Over is 8-2-1 in Falcons last 11 games following a straight up win.
- Under is 4-1 in Falcons last 5 games in Week 11.
- Under is 21-6 in Falcons last 27 games in November.
- Over is 14-4-1 in Falcons last 19 vs. NFC.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Falcons last 5 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game.
- Over is 3-1-1 in Falcons last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Under is 19-7-1 in Falcons last 27 games after allowing less than 250 total yards in their previous game.
- Under is 4-0 in Seahawks last 4 games in November.
- Under is 4-0 in Seahawks last 4 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
- Under is 6-0 in Seahawks last 6 vs. NFC.
- Over is 4-0 in Seahawks last 4 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Under is 5-1 in Seahawks last 6 Monday games.
- Under is 4-1 in Seahawks last 5 games overall.
- Over is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.
- Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Seattle.
