New England Patriots at Atlanta Falcons Betting Preview

>

 

— Thursday, November 18th New England Patriots @ Atlanta Falcons

New England heads to Atlanta to face the Falcons on Thursday Night Football. For those of you that forgot, there is some history behind this game. The Patriots, of course, have emerged victorious in their last three meetings.

Could that change on Thursday with an Atlanta Falcons win over the Patriots? Or will New England remain supreme and increase its standing?

For the Atlanta Falcons, they wish to leave the past where it belongs, in the past. They’ve battled back to 4-5 this year and would like to fight for a spot at the top of the NFC South. Unfortunately, last week their spirits were battered by the Dallas Cowboys.

How can the Falcons bounce back this week? Will they take down the red-hot Patriots, or will we see another significant loss?

New England Patriots: Keys to victory on Thursday night

The Patriots have won four games in a row and look to make it their fifth. It’s tough to argue with the efficiency of the team, especially Mac Jones. Jones is already in the conversation for the title of “Rookie of the Year” and rightfully so.

Last week against the Cleveland Browns, Jones threw for 198 yards and three touchdowns. He led his team to a 45-7 victory over Cleveland.

With Atlanta now in front of the Patriots, their goal is clear. Run through the Falcons and claim the AFC East as their own. They can do this by focusing on what they do best, controlling the flow and pace of the game.

However, slowing the game down for the Falcons could prove to be exactly the opposite of what they want. Especially if Matt Ryan begins to heat up.

Atlanta Falcons: Keys to victory on Thursday night

The Atlanta Falcons were embarrassed by the Dallas Cowboys last week. Bouncing back from a 43-3 loss isn’t going to be an easy task. It also doesn’t help that they’re facing a team that has gone 3-0 in their last three meetings.

The good news is that they’re facing a rookie quarterback and a team that likes a slower pace. This can give Matt Ryan time to get his own offense flowing.

For the Falcons to win this game and not just cover the spread, they need to fire on all cylinders. The defense needs to be stingy against the run; the offense needs to score on every opportunity.

Of course, this is a lot to ask for of the Falcons, but if they want to win, it’s what’s needed. Above all, they cannot commit multiple turnovers; if they do, the game is over.

Our Pick for the New England Patriots at Atlanta Falcons

First off, we’d like to start by saying that we believe the Patriots will win this game. However, we do think that the margin in which they win will be below five points. They’re favored by 6.5-points here, which is slightly too much for them to cover.

The Patriots will try to control the clock as much as possible here, which will lead to a close game. The Falcons should be able to put some points up against the Patriots and cover the 6.5-point spread.

Dunkelindex Free Betting Pick: Atlanta Falcons +6.5, OVER

Keep up with your latest NFL news coverage and betting pick previews at The Dunkel Index.