The Atlanta Falcons (6-7) and Las Vegas Raiders (2-11) will face off in NFL Week 15. Kickoff for this Monday Night Football game is set for in 8:30 p.m. ET from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
The Falcons are favored by 5.5 points with the game total set at 44.5 points scored. The Falcons are -250 favorites to win outright, while the Raiders are +195 to pull off the upset.
The Falcons lost 42-21 last week to the Vikings and have lost 4 straight games. Kirk Cousins has 0 touchdowns and 8 interceptions in that span. The Raiders lost 28-13 to the Buccaneers last week. Maxx Crosby is out for the season and Desmond Ridder is going to start at quarterback.
Let's get into my Raiders vs Falcons predictions and NFL picks.
Falcons vs. Raiders Odds, Pick, Prediction
| Falcons Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5.5 -108 | 44.5 -110o / -110u | -250 |
| Raiders Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5.5 -112 | 44.5 -110o / -110u | +195 |
- Falcons vs. Raiders spread: Falcons -5.5
- Falcons vs. Raiders over/under: 44.5 points scored
- Falcons vs. Raiders moneyline: Falcons -250, Raiders +195
- Falcons vs. Raiders best bet: Falcons 1H -3
MyFalcons vs. Raiders best bet is on Atlanta against the first-half spread. For all of your NFL bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NFL odds page.
Spread
I’m not comfortable laying 5.5 points since Sean Koerner’s projected spread is 4.5 and Chris Raybon’s is 3.5, but I do want to fade Desmond Ridder here. The Falcons offense is poised to turn some of its efficiency into more points.
I'll put my bet down on the first-half spread, which is a great way to fade Ridder based on his career numbers.
Over/Under
The only total I'd look to bet in this game is the Falcons team total at 24.5, but I'll pass.
My Pick: Falcons 1H -3
Falcons vs. Raiders NFL Monday Night Football Preview
I’d call this a revenge game for Desmond Ridder, but that usually indicates there was some ugly breakup that the player can hold hard feelings about.
Instead, no one is surprised that the Falcons moved on from Ridder. Last season in 15 games (13 starts), Ridder had 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The Falcons were 6-7 in his starts, but it was that good (and it wasn’t good) more in spite of Ridder than because of him.
Now, that said, the Falcons are 6-7 this season with Kirk Cousins under center.
Cousins is averaging 1.1 more Air Yards per attempt than Ridder did in his Falcons career, which indicates how much more big-play potential Cousins offers compared to Ridder.
The issue, though, is that Cousins has 15 interceptions in 13 games this season. Atlanta has lost four straight games, and Cousins has thrown eight interceptions in that span. That includes a four-interception game two weeks ago at home against the Chargers in a 17-13 loss that easily could have been a Falcons win.
During this four-game losing streak, Cousins has not thrown a touchdown pass.
Now, this is a good matchup for Cousins since the Raiders defense is 22nd in Pass DVOA. The Falcons are 13th in Pass DVOA, which speaks volumes to how efficient they are despite the lack of touchdowns and interceptions.
After a four-game stretch without a touchdown pass and eight interceptions, most teams wouldn’t still be in the top 20 of Pass DVOA, much less 13th.
The Falcons’ team total is 24.5 for the game and 13.5 for the first half, which is a bit too rich for me. Instead, I’m going to simply bet on Atlanta and fade the Raiders.
In his career, Ridder is 5-12 against the first-half spread. So, my pick for the game is Falcons 1H -3. We’ll bet on Atlanta to have a first-half lead of more than a field goal.
My Pick: Falcons 1H -3
Raiders vs Falcons Betting Trends
