It’s the Battle of the Birds on Monday night to conclude Week 2 around the NFL as the Atlanta Falcons visit the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles are 6.5-point favourites on the NFL odds in their home opener.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
This could be a potential NFC playoff preview as Atlanta was the betting favourite entering the season to capture the NFC South and Philadelphia was atop the NFC East futures odds. The Falcons didn’t look good at all in a Week 1 home loss to Pittsburgh but remain +145 leaders in the South. The Eagles won their opener against Green Bay and are -130 in the East.
Including playoffs, the Eagles are 21-15-1 all-time vs. the Falcons and won the most recent meeting 32-6 in Atlanta in Week 1 of the 2021 season. That was the Philly head coaching debut of Nick Sirianni and really the first game where Jalen Hurts was the unquestioned Eagles starting QB. He had three touchdown passes to three different receivers. Matt Ryan was the Falcons QB that day but is now retired. The total has gone under in six straight meetings in the series.
It’s the first road game of the season for the Falcons and first at home for the Eagles. Atlanta was 2-7 straight up and ATS last year way. Philadelphia was 6-2 SU and 3-4-1 ATS at home.
Atlanta Falcons
I don’t understand NFL head coaches sometimes. Atlanta’s new head coach Raheem Morris opted not to play new starting QB Kirk Cousins at all this preseason as Cousins was coming off a torn Achilles tendon suffered in Week 8 last year while with the Vikings. Should anyone have been surprised that Cousins was very rusty Sunday in an 18-10 home loss to Pittsburgh? The 36-year-old was just 16-for-26 for 155 yards with a TD and two picks while being sacked twice. He had 19 passing yards in the second half, the lowest total of his 13-year career.
The Falcons say Cousins is 100 per cent healthy and will start this week. It sure didn’t look as if Cousins was healthy because the Falcons ran 26 plays out of the pistol set and 22 out of shotgun – you do that to protect your QB. Cousins had never taken more than 10 snaps out of the pistol in a game before Sunday. He was 2-of-4 for 15 yards and an interception throwing out of the pistol. Cousins was completely immobile as he moved an average of 3.1 yards per dropback Sunday, which is the least dropback movement he has had in a game of his career by far.
On the bright side, a defence that added former Pro Bowlers such as Matthew Judon and Justin Simmons in the offseason played well in not allowing an offensive TD and just 270 yards. Morris has now lost six straight games as a head coach, all with Atlanta dating to his interim tenure there in 2020. The Falcons are an NFL-worst 5-13 ATS since 2023.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles flew 10 hours to Sao Paulo, Brazil, for their opener on Friday night in Week 1 against Green Bay and won a thriller 34-29. New addition running back Saquon Barkley was the offensive star with 109 rushing yards and three scores. Barkley tied Terrell Owens for most TDs in a debut in Eagles history and became only the fourth NFL player since 1970 with at least 100 rushing yards and three TDs in a team debut.
Jalen Hurts, meanwhile, looked more like his 2023 version than his 2022 self when Hurts was the NFL MVP runner-up. He had three turnovers against the Packers and only 33 yards rushing. Hurts’ 23 turnovers the past two seasons are tied for the most in the NFL after only eight in 2022.
Pro Bowl receiver AJ Brown had five catches for 119 yards and a TD to snap a streak of six straight without a receiving TD and five in a row without 100 yards. Philly’s Week 1 cover snapped a seven-game ATS losing streak that was the NFL’s longest. The Eagles are 6-1 SU and 5-1-1 ATS in their past seven home primetime games.
NFL Prediction: Who Will Win Falcons vs. Eagles?
Line History
Sports Interaction customers are placing their bets on:
| time | fav | line | total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening 8 Sep 10:34pm | PHI | -4.5 -110 | O +48 -110 |
| Closing 10 Sep 6:44pm | PHI | -6.5 -115 | O +39.5 -155 |
- Regular Season
Falcons Team Leaders
| Touchdowns |
3 |
| Rushing |
285 |
| Passing |
1373 |
| Receiving |
32 |
| Sacks |
1.5 |
| Interceptions |
1 |
| Touchdowns |
5 |
| Rushing |
435 |
| Passing |
930 |
| Receiving |
24 |
| Sacks |
2 |
| Interceptions |
2 |
- Regular Season
Eagles Team Leaders
| Touchdowns |
3 |
| Rushing |
285 |
| Passing |
1373 |
| Receiving |
32 |
| Sacks |
1.5 |
| Interceptions |
1 |
| Touchdowns |
5 |
| Rushing |
435 |
| Passing |
930 |
| Receiving |
24 |
| Sacks |
2 |
| Interceptions |
2 |
Weather
| temp | 71 |
| condition | cloudy |
| wind | East 9mph |
Injuries
Darnell Mooney (WR)
Bijan Robinson (RB)
Matthew Judon (LB)
Dee Alford (CB)
Ray-Ray McCloud III (WR)
Bijan Robinson (RB)
Troy Andersen (LB)
Bijan Robinson (RB)
Matthew Judon (LB)
Drew Dalman (OL)
Nakobe Dean (LB)
Johnny Wilson (WR)
Reed Blankenship (S)
Darius Slay Jr. (CB)
Milton Williams (DT)
Dallas Goedert (TE)
Britain Covey (WR)
Lane Johnson (OT)
DeVonta Smith (WR)
C.J. Gardner-Johnson (S)
Injuries
| player (position) | status | ats*current | o/u* | notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darnell Mooney (WR) | Ques Sun | Knee - 10 / 10 / 24 | 1-0 | 1-0 | + - |
|
Mooney is managing a knee injury, and it remains to be seen if he will be active for Sunday's clash against the Panthers. |
|||||
| Bijan Robinson (RB) | Ques Sun | Hamstring - 10 / 10 / 24 | 1-0 | 1-0 | + - |
|
Robinson is hampered by a hamstring injury, and it is unclear if he will play against the Panthers on Sunday. |
|||||
| Matthew Judon (LB) | Ques Sun | Hamstring - 10 / 10 / 24 | 1-0 | 1-0 | + - |
|
Judon is nursing a hamstring injury, and it is unknown if he will suit up against the Panthers on Sunday. |
|||||
| Dee Alford (CB) | Ques Sun | Concussion - 03 / 10 / 24 | 1-1 | 2-0 | + - |
|
Alford left the previous game due to concussion, and it remains to be seen if he suits up against the Panthers on Sunday. |
|||||
| Ray-Ray McCloud III (WR) | Ques Thurs | Ankle - 30 / 09 / 24 | 1-1 | 2-0 | + - |
|
McCloud III is nursing with an ankle injury, and it is unclear if he will play against Buccaneers on Thursday. |
|||||
| Bijan Robinson (RB) | Ques Thurs | Hamstring - 30 / 09 / 24 | 1-1 | 2-0 | + - |
|
Robinson is dealing with a hamstring injury, and it is unknown if he will play against the Buccaneers on Thursday. |
|||||
| Troy Andersen (LB) | Out Sun | Knee - 29 / 09 / 24 | 1-2 | 2-1 | + - |
|
Andersen missed the previous contest due to a knee injury, and he is not expected to dress against the Panthers on Sunday. |
|||||
| Bijan Robinson (RB) | Prob Sun | Shoulder - 26 / 09 / 24 | 1-2 | 2-1 | + - |
|
Robinson is bothered by a shoulder injury, but he is projected to be active for Sunday's clash against the Saints. |
|||||
| Matthew Judon (LB) | Prob Sun | Hamstring - 26 / 09 / 24 | 1-2 | 2-1 | + - |
|
Judon is dealing with a hamstring injury, but he is expected to dress for Sunday's game against the Saints. |
|||||
| Drew Dalman (OL) | Out indefinitely | Ankle - 23 / 09 / 24 | 2-2 | 2-2 | + - |
|
Dalman has been placed on injured reserve list due to high ankle sprain, and his return timetable is unknown. |
|||||
| player (position) | status | ats*current | o/u* | notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nakobe Dean (LB) | Ques Sun | Ankle - 09 / 10 / 24 | 0-1 | 1-0 | + - |
|
Dean is battling with an ankle injury, and it is uncertain if he will suit up against the Browns on Sunday. |
|||||
| Johnny Wilson (WR) | Ques Sun | Concussion - 09 / 10 / 24 | 0-1 | 1-0 | + - |
|
Wilson is nursing a concussion, and it is unknown if he will play against the Browns on Sunday. |
|||||
| Reed Blankenship (S) | Ques Sun | Illness - 29 / 09 / 24 | 1-1 | 1-1 | + - |
|
Blankenship left the contest due to an illness, and it is unknown if he will play against the Browns on Sunday. |
|||||
| Darius Slay Jr. (CB) | Ques Sun | Hip - 29 / 09 / 24 | 1-1 | 1-1 | + - |
|
Slay Jr. exited the game due to hip injury, and it is unknown if he will suit up against the Browns on Sunday. |
|||||
| Milton Williams (DT) | Ques Sun | Groin - 26 / 09 / 24 | 1-1 | 1-1 | + - |
|
Williams is bothered by a groin injury, and it remains to be seen if he will be in Sunday's lineup versus the Buccaneers. |
|||||
| Dallas Goedert (TE) | Ques Sun | Undisclosed - 25 / 09 / 24 | 1-1 | 1-1 | + - |
|
Goedert is nursing an undisclosed injury, and it remains to be seen if he will return to action for Sunday's matchup versus the Buccaneers. |
|||||
| Britain Covey (WR) | Early Nov | Shoulder - 22 / 09 / 24 | 1-2 | 1-2 | + - |
|
Covey is out of commission due to shoulder injury, and he is expected to remain out of the lineup until early November. |
|||||
| Lane Johnson (OT) | Prob Sun | Concussion - 22 / 09 / 24 | 1-2 | 1-2 | + - |
|
Johnson missed the previous matchup with a concussion, but he is expected to participate against the Browns on Sunday. |
|||||
| DeVonta Smith (WR) | Prob Sun | Concussion - 22 / 09 / 24 | 1-2 | 1-2 | + - |
|
Smith missed the previous contest with a concussion, but he is projected to take the field against the Browns on Sunday. |
|||||
| C.J. Gardner-Johnson (S) | Ques Sun | Foot - 19 / 09 / 24 | 1-2 | 1-2 | + - |
|
Gardner-Johnson is battling with a foot injury, and it is unclear if he will play against Buccaneers on Sunday. |
|||||
-
Line History
Sports Interaction customers are placing their bets on:
time fav line total Opening 8 Sep 10:34pm PHI -4.5 -110 O +48 -110 Closing 10 Sep 6:44pm PHI -6.5 -115 O +39.5 -155 -
- Regular Season
Falcons Team Leaders
Touchdowns 3
Rushing 285
Passing 1373
Receiving 32
Sacks 1.5
Interceptions 1
Touchdowns 5
Rushing 435
Passing 930
Receiving 24
Sacks 2
Interceptions 2
-
- Regular Season
Eagles Team Leaders
Touchdowns 3
Rushing 285
Passing 1373
Receiving 32
Sacks 1.5
Interceptions 1
Touchdowns 5
Rushing 435
Passing 930
Receiving 24
Sacks 2
Interceptions 2
-
Weather
temp 71 condition cloudy wind East 9mph -
Injuries
Darnell Mooney (WR)
Ques Sun Knee - 10 / 10 / 24Bijan Robinson (RB)
Ques Sun Hamstring - 10 / 10 / 24Matthew Judon (LB)
Ques Sun Hamstring - 10 / 10 / 24Dee Alford (CB)
Ques Sun Concussion - 03 / 10 / 24Ray-Ray McCloud III (WR)
Ques Thurs Ankle - 30 / 09 / 24Bijan Robinson (RB)
Ques Thurs Hamstring - 30 / 09 / 24Troy Andersen (LB)
Out Sun Knee - 29 / 09 / 24Bijan Robinson (RB)
Prob Sun Shoulder - 26 / 09 / 24Matthew Judon (LB)
Prob Sun Hamstring - 26 / 09 / 24Drew Dalman (OL)
Out indefinitely Ankle - 23 / 09 / 24Nakobe Dean (LB)
Ques Sun Ankle - 09 / 10 / 24Johnny Wilson (WR)
Ques Sun Concussion - 09 / 10 / 24Reed Blankenship (S)
Ques Sun Illness - 29 / 09 / 24Darius Slay Jr. (CB)
Ques Sun Hip - 29 / 09 / 24Milton Williams (DT)
Ques Sun Groin - 26 / 09 / 24Dallas Goedert (TE)
Ques Sun Undisclosed - 25 / 09 / 24Britain Covey (WR)
Early Nov Shoulder - 22 / 09 / 24Lane Johnson (OT)
Prob Sun Concussion - 22 / 09 / 24DeVonta Smith (WR)
Prob Sun Concussion - 22 / 09 / 24C.J. Gardner-Johnson (S)
Ques Sun Foot - 19 / 09 / 24Injuries
player (position) status ats*current o/u* notes Darnell Mooney (WR) Ques Sun Knee - 10 / 10 / 24 1-0 1-0 + - Mooney is managing a knee injury, and it remains to be seen if he will be active for Sunday's clash against the Panthers.
Bijan Robinson (RB) Ques Sun Hamstring - 10 / 10 / 24 1-0 1-0 + - Robinson is hampered by a hamstring injury, and it is unclear if he will play against the Panthers on Sunday.
Matthew Judon (LB) Ques Sun Hamstring - 10 / 10 / 24 1-0 1-0 + - Judon is nursing a hamstring injury, and it is unknown if he will suit up against the Panthers on Sunday.
Dee Alford (CB) Ques Sun Concussion - 03 / 10 / 24 1-1 2-0 + - Alford left the previous game due to concussion, and it remains to be seen if he suits up against the Panthers on Sunday.
Ray-Ray McCloud III (WR) Ques Thurs Ankle - 30 / 09 / 24 1-1 2-0 + - McCloud III is nursing with an ankle injury, and it is unclear if he will play against Buccaneers on Thursday.
Bijan Robinson (RB) Ques Thurs Hamstring - 30 / 09 / 24 1-1 2-0 + - Robinson is dealing with a hamstring injury, and it is unknown if he will play against the Buccaneers on Thursday.
Troy Andersen (LB) Out Sun Knee - 29 / 09 / 24 1-2 2-1 + - Andersen missed the previous contest due to a knee injury, and he is not expected to dress against the Panthers on Sunday.
Bijan Robinson (RB) Prob Sun Shoulder - 26 / 09 / 24 1-2 2-1 + - Robinson is bothered by a shoulder injury, but he is projected to be active for Sunday's clash against the Saints.
Matthew Judon (LB) Prob Sun Hamstring - 26 / 09 / 24 1-2 2-1 + - Judon is dealing with a hamstring injury, but he is expected to dress for Sunday's game against the Saints.
Drew Dalman (OL) Out indefinitely Ankle - 23 / 09 / 24 2-2 2-2 + - Dalman has been placed on injured reserve list due to high ankle sprain, and his return timetable is unknown.
player (position) status ats*current o/u* notes Nakobe Dean (LB) Ques Sun Ankle - 09 / 10 / 24 0-1 1-0 + - Dean is battling with an ankle injury, and it is uncertain if he will suit up against the Browns on Sunday.
Johnny Wilson (WR) Ques Sun Concussion - 09 / 10 / 24 0-1 1-0 + - Wilson is nursing a concussion, and it is unknown if he will play against the Browns on Sunday.
Reed Blankenship (S) Ques Sun Illness - 29 / 09 / 24 1-1 1-1 + - Blankenship left the contest due to an illness, and it is unknown if he will play against the Browns on Sunday.
Darius Slay Jr. (CB) Ques Sun Hip - 29 / 09 / 24 1-1 1-1 + - Slay Jr. exited the game due to hip injury, and it is unknown if he will suit up against the Browns on Sunday.
Milton Williams (DT) Ques Sun Groin - 26 / 09 / 24 1-1 1-1 + - Williams is bothered by a groin injury, and it remains to be seen if he will be in Sunday's lineup versus the Buccaneers.
Dallas Goedert (TE) Ques Sun Undisclosed - 25 / 09 / 24 1-1 1-1 + - Goedert is nursing an undisclosed injury, and it remains to be seen if he will return to action for Sunday's matchup versus the Buccaneers.
Britain Covey (WR) Early Nov Shoulder - 22 / 09 / 24 1-2 1-2 + - Covey is out of commission due to shoulder injury, and he is expected to remain out of the lineup until early November.
Lane Johnson (OT) Prob Sun Concussion - 22 / 09 / 24 1-2 1-2 + - Johnson missed the previous matchup with a concussion, but he is expected to participate against the Browns on Sunday.
DeVonta Smith (WR) Prob Sun Concussion - 22 / 09 / 24 1-2 1-2 + - Smith missed the previous contest with a concussion, but he is projected to take the field against the Browns on Sunday.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson (S) Ques Sun Foot - 19 / 09 / 24 1-2 1-2 + - Gardner-Johnson is battling with a foot injury, and it is unclear if he will play against Buccaneers on Sunday.