Patriots vs. Falcons Odds, Betting Lines, Picks & Preview For Week 11 On FanDuel Sportsbook
A battle between two playoff hopefuls is set to kick off Week 11 on Thursday Night Football as the red-hot New England Patriots travel to Atlanta to take on the Falcons. Let's take a look at what bets we believe you should consider backing in Thursday's action.
The New England Patriots are undeniably one of the hottest teams in the NFL as things stand. They have ripped off four straight wins, and after starting the season 2-4, they suddenly find themselves inside the playoff picture at 6-4 heading into this matchup. Although the Falcons have nudged their way into the NFC's hunt for a wild card spot, some of their losses are ugly. Atlanta has suffered setbacks to the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Football Team, and Carolina Panthers, three teams that are all .500 or worse. Three of their four wins have come over the Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, and New York Giants, who have a combined record of 8-20. Add in the loss of Swiss Army Knife Cordarrelle Patterson, who has been the Falcons' heartbeat, and things look bleak for the Falcons, even at home here. Take the Patriots to roll in this one as favorites just beneath a touchdown.
While the Pats have been rolling, it hasn't been because of any flashiness from quarterback Mac Jones. The rookie has been shining in a low-risk offensive game plan that shelters him from making any game-altering mistakes. That is a big reason why New England sits at 6-4, and Jones has nearly twice as many touchdowns as interceptions on the year. It's also the reason Jones is right near the top of FanDuel Sportsbook's Offensive Rookie of the Year odds board, sitting at +130 to win the award. He doesn't need to sling it to win football games, as shown in their past six matchups. The signal-caller has passed his total of 252.5 just once in those previous six games, and if you see the Patriots get up early here, head coach Bill Belichick may look to get the ball into the hands of his emerging backfield duo of Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson. Take Jones to stay under this number on Thursday night against the Falcons.
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Russell Gage has been required to step up throughout the absence of Calvin Ridley, and this may be a spot for him to do so. Zero catches in Week 10 is a tough game to assess since it was a 40-point loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Before that, Gage snagged seven receptions for 64 yards in Atlanta's dramatic win over the New Orleans Saints. As the new top wide receiver, especially with Patterson likely missing the game, Gage will be looked towards by quarterback Matt Ryan as the catalyst in the passing game. It's rare to see a top target in a matchup have a total listed under 40 receiving yards, and a trailing Falcons team could undoubtedly get us there. Take Gage to beat this number on Thursday night against the Patriots.
