NY Giants (1-5) at Atlanta (2-4)
When: Monday, October 22nd 2018
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium,
Atlanta, Georgia
Time: 8:15 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Atlanta -4/54
When the 2018 NFL schedules came out, this Week 7 Monday Night matchup looked pretty good, with the improving New York Giants facing a potential Super Bowl contender in the Atlanta Falcons. Now that Week 7 has arrived, the teams have combined for just three victories and both are desperate for a win this week. One season after finishing 3-13 and winding up with running back Saquon Barkley with the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft, New York is off to a 1-5 start after a 34-13 loss against the Philadelphia Eagles on October 11th. Eli Manning continues to regress as a quarterback and some fans want him gone. Manning has just six touchdowns through six games with four interceptions, but his completion percentage is at 68.7 due to a lot of swing passes to Barkley. The Falcons snapped a three-game skid with a wild 34-29 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but are giving up way too many points. Atlanta is second last in total defense in the league, and have given up an average of 32 points per game which is also second last in the NFL. They’ve also had a hard time stopping teams on third down, as opposing teams have a 56 percent rate against them (highest in the league). Opponents are also a perfect four for four against the Falcons defense on fourth down. The home team has won four of the last five meetings, but New York and Atlanta have not met since a 24-20 Falcons victory in 2015.
Barkley carried the New York offense with 130 yards rushing and a touchdown and catching nine balls for 99 yards in the loss to the Eagles last time out. Barkley can make history against the Falcons and join Kansas City’s Kareem Hunt as the only players to record at least 100 yards from scrimmage in seven consecutive games to begin their career. Manning continues to have trouble connected with superstar receiver Odell Beckham and has averaged 6.5 yards or fewer per pass attempt in four of six games. New York’s defense has allowed 27 points per game and is tied for last in the league with just 7.0 sacks. The Giants will be home next week to face the Washington Redskins.
Matt Ryan is third in the NFL with 1,956 passing yards coming into Week 7 and has 12 touchdowns and zero interceptions over the past four games after throwing for 340 yards and three scores in last week’s win over Tampa Bay. Julio Jones had another typical game with 10 catches for 144 yards against the Bucs and is second in the league with 708 yards, but he has yet to find the end zone after scoring only three touchdowns last season. Atlanta will be without running back Devanta Freeman, who is now on injured reserve following groin surgery this week. Tevin Coleman and rookie Ito Smith will share the load in the backfield going forward.
This Atlanta defense is not very good – we know that – but all they have to do is stop an aging quarterback and not turn the ball over on offense. I think that will happen here and the high-powered Falcons offense will soar over the G-Men.
Pick: Falcons -3.5
Betting Trends:
- Giants are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games after scoring less than 15 points in their previous game.
- Giants are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
- Giants are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games following a ATS loss.
- Giants are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
- Giants are 13-6-2 ATS in their last 21 games following a double-digit loss at home.
- Giants are 3-7 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.
- Giants are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 Monday games.
- Giants are 6-16 ATS in their last 22 games after allowing more than 30 points in their previous game.
- Giants are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 vs. NFC.
- Giants are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
- Giants are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
- Falcons are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 Monday games.
- Falcons are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Falcons are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
- Falcons are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
- Falcons are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games on grass.
- Falcons are 1-4 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.
- Falcons are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win.
- Falcons are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
- Falcons are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.
- Falcons are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games in October.
- Falcons are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game.
- Falcons are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games in Week 7.
- Under is 5-1 in Giants last 6 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in Giants last 5 Monday games.
- Under is 8-3 in Giants last 11 games after accumulating more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
- Under is 5-2 in Giants last 7 vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 9-4 in Giants last 13 games overall.
- Under is 9-4 in Giants last 13 games after scoring less than 15 points in their previous game.
- Under is 9-4 in Giants last 13 games following a straight up loss of more than 14 points.
- Over is 5-0 in Falcons last 5 games overall.
- Over is 4-0 in Falcons last 4 home games.
- Over is 5-0 in Falcons last 5 games on grass.
- Over is 4-0 in Falcons last 4 games after accumulating more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
- Over is 11-1-1 in Falcons last 13 vs. a team with a losing record.
- Over is 7-1 in Falcons last 8 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
- Under is 10-2 in Falcons last 12 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
- Under is 5-1 in Falcons last 6 games following a straight up win.
- Under is 4-1 in Falcons last 5 games following a ATS win.
- Over is 16-5-1 in Falcons last 22 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game.
- Under is 8-3 in Falcons last 11 vs. NFC.
- Over is 5-2 in Falcons last 7 Monday games.
- Under is 5-2 in Falcons last 7 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
- Over is 10-4 in Falcons last 14 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Under is 3-0-1 in the last 4 meetings in Atlanta.
- Under is 9-1-1 in the last 11 meetings.
- Road team is 9-3 ATS in their last 12 meetings.
