The Atlanta Falcons will be trying to prove they are legitimate contenders when they visit the Denver Broncos this Sunday at Sports Authority Field. The game is scheduled to begin at 4:05 PM. ET.
After a disappointing season opening loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Atlanta Falcons have reeled off three consecutive victories, including a dominating victory over the Carolina Panthers, who won the NFC South for the third consecutive time last season.
The win against the Panthers should have legitimised the Falcons as contenders, but since the defending NFC champions are 1-3, the win doesn’t look as impressive.
The Falcons, who had a similar start to their season last year, will be trying to avoid a meltdown like the one they had last year, which cost them an opportunity to make the playoffs.
Despite the success they have had this year, Matt Ryan and the Falcon s offense will have their hands full with the Denver defense, which picked up where it left off last season.
The Broncos are the only undefeated team left in the AFC, and have looked impressive winning their first four games of the season despite not having an experienced quarterback on the roster.
The Broncos turned the reins of their offense over to second year player Trevor Siemian after Peyton Manning retired during the offseason. Despite not having any real time experience, Siemian has done a solid job running the team’s offense.
Last week, Siemian left the Broncos game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with an injury, and was replaced by rookie Paxton Lynch, who also did a great job running the offense.
According to reports, Siemian’s injury wasn’t as serious as the team thought, and the quarterback is expected to be in the lineup against Atlanta. If he is unable to go, head coach Gary Kubiak will have to give Lynch his first career start.
The Broncos defense lost a few players in free agency, but hasn’t skipped a beat. They currently lead the NFL in sacks, and have held their opponents to an average of 16 points per game, which is the fifth best in the NFL.
Despite starting an inexperienced quarterback, the Broncos offense is actually doing better this year than they did last year with Manning, and are averaging 27.8 points per game, which is also fifth in the league.
While Denver’s defense has been successful so far, they face a big challenge against the Falcons, who have the top passing offense in the league, and Julio Jones, who is coming off a 300 receiving yard performance against the Carolina Panthers.
Broncos vs Falcons Betting Lines
Let’s get into the odds on this game and then I’ll give my favorite pick.
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Here are the betting lines from Bovada.lv:
- Denver Broncos -5.5
- Atlanta Falcons +5.5
- Over/Under 57
My Pick
The Falcons have looked impressive, but they are going up against a defense that has been historically great over the past year, so I’m going with Denver to cover and win the game.
Play: Broncos -5.5
Tagged With : NFL Betting • NFL week 5