Atlanta is 2-0 and the Lions got that win over Kansas City to start the season (when everyone was watching), making these a couple of teams that have been exceeding expectations early on. One of them is going to be disappointed come Sunday though. I hate it when teams you want to back face off against each other.
Atlanta Falcons vs. Detroit Lions Betting Trends and Odds
Sunday, September 24, 2023 – 1 p.m. ET
Odds: Detroit -3.5, Over/under 46.5, Atlanta +145 | Detroit -175
I think we may have to get used to the Lions being favored in spots now, that is the new reality of this team. This line makes sense, especially with the Lions at home. Atlanta might be the team that is 2-0 but they have not been overly impressive. The line is so close to that key number I will be watching closely to see how it holds throughout the rest of the week.
Picks for Atlanta vs. Detroit
Atlanta +3.5, Either Team to Score 3 Unanswered Times (+140)
I have liked what I have seen from both of these teams for the most part (though they are still a notch below the contenders). Atlanta is far from elite, but their offense is coming together and they play differently from most other teams these days (they are committed to the run) so they can be a little hard to plan for. I expect that they will be able to keep things close and even though they do not throw the ball around a lot, they can still be explosive. These teams feel pretty evenly matched on the whole, as long as Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder is ready for the spot of leading a team that has yet to lose this season (having a running game helps) Of course it is different in the NFL, but he was in some pretty big spots in college even though he played at Cincinnati.
It is still early in the week, so prop options are limited. This one caught my eye because of that payoff and because I expect this to be a pretty evenly played game without either side taking control. Falcons RB Bijan Robinson +380 to go over 100 yards again is tempting too.
These teams do not normally command much attention in the markets. Detroit made more of an early statement so I would not be surprised to see more money come in on that side. I might wait to see if we can get even more value on Atlanta. Perhaps an ML play too.