“Monday Night Football” kicks off its 2015 season with two Week 1 matchups, starting with the Philadelphia Eagles traveling to Atlanta to face the Falcons as 3-point road betting favorites at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
It has been an offseason of change for the Eagles, who made a number of significant personnel moves. Most notable is the arrival of Sam Bradford, who takes over quarterback duties after coming over as part of the deal that sent Nick Foles to the St. Louis Rams.
Last year’s NFL Offensive Player of the Year, running back DeMarco Murray, joined the Eagles as a free agent, replacing LeSean McCoy, who was sent to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for linebacker Kiko Alonso.
The moves have inspired confidence at the sportsbooks, where the Eagles have seen their odds jump to 17-2 in Super Bowl 50 betting.
The Falcons will look to redeem themselves following a disappointing 6-10 campaign in 2014, their second consecutive losing season since reaching the NFC Championship Game in 2012.
If Atlanta is to return to contention, it needs to turn around its dismal record of late at home.
The team enters Monday night’s Eagles vs. Falcons betting matchup at the Georgia Dome with just one straight-up win in their past five home contests — 2-4 against the spread — averaging just 16.5 points per game over that stretch, according to the OddsShark NFL Database.
The Falcons have emerged victorious, straight up and against the spread, in their last two meetings with the Eagles but are just 3-8 SU in their last 11, going 3-7-1 ATS.
In Monday night’s other matchup, the San Francisco 49ers will look to end a three-game SU losing streak against Minnesota when they host the Vikings as 2-point underdogs.
The 49ers enter 2015 with a diminished defense following the unexpected offseason retirements of Chris Borland, Anthony Davis and Patrick Willis, and the departure of key offensive players, including running back Frank Gore and wide receiver Michael Crabtree.
Conversely, expectations run high in Minnesota with the return of 2012 NFL MVP Adrian Peterson, whose presence transforms the Vikings’ burgeoning offense, led by second-year QB Teddy Bridgewater.
The Vikings have owned the 49ers in recent meetings, going 5-1 SU in their past six dates, 4-2 ATS, while holding San Francisco to an average of just 11 points per game. However, the 49ers have manhandled Minnesota in games in the Bay Area, going 8-1 SU in their last nine at home, 6-2-1 ATS.
Thumbnail photo via Benny Sieu/USA TODAY Sports Images
