The Atlanta Falcons (0-1) and Philadelphia Eagles (1-0) close NFL Week 2 on Monday Night Football. Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. ET from Lincoln Financial Field in Philly on ESPN and ABC, and the game can be streamed on YouTube TV.
The Eagles are favored by 5.5 points over the Falcons, with the game total falling to 45.5 points. The Eagles are -250 on the moneyline, while Atlanta is +200 to pull off the upset.
Kirk Cousins struggled to start his Falcons career with a home loss to the Steelers, looking shaky and potentially immobile throughout. The Eagles, meanwhile, have had extra time to prepare after beating the Packers 34-29 in Week 1 in Brazil. Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith will have to lead the way on offense without A.J. Brown, who was ruled out after suffering a hamstring injury during practice.
Let's get into my Falcons vs. Eagles predictions and my NFL picks and predictions for Week 2.
Falcons vs. Eagles Odds, Prediction
| Falcons Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5.5 -112 | 45.5 -110o / -110u | +195 |
| Eagles Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5.5 -1108 | 45.5 -110o / -110u | -238 |
- Falcons-Eagles Spread: Falcons +5.5 | Eagles -5.5
- Falcons-Eagles Total: Over/Under 45.5
- Falcons-Eagles Moneyline: Falcons +195 | Eagles -238
Betting Trends
- 56% of bets and 67% of the money are on the Eagles to cover the spread.
- 53% of bets and 55% of the money are on the under.
- 80% of bets and 96% of the money on the moneyline are on the Eagles.
My Falcons vs. Eagles pick is on the Atlanta to cover, but I'd only play it at +6 or better. Use our live NFL odds page to monitor the spreads being offered across sportsbooks.
SPREAD
I'm on Falcons +6 or higher. I bought to +7 earlier last week but would only suggest that at -125 or better.
MONEYLINE
I'm not betting either moneyline in this game.
TOTAL
I have no pick on this over/under.
Eagles vs. Falcons Pick: Falcons +6
Falcons at Eagles: Monday Night Football
There are definite questions surrounding the health of Kirk Cousins. He didn't look right in his Falcons debut, but it also probably didn't help that he faced T.J. Watt, who wreaked havoc throughout that contest. Fortunately, the Eagles don't have a player like Watt (most teams don't), and the Falcons offensive line is still an above-average unit. Plus, history says you can expect Cousins to play better in Week 2 after not having played at all in the preseason, which usually leads to a dip in production in season openers.
The play-calling for Atlanta has to be better under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who didn't have a sparkling game from a play-calling perspective. The Falcons had some down-to-down success but almost exclusively ran out of the pistol and threw out of the shotgun. That level of predictability won't cut it against any defense, especially one with a ferocious front. Atlanta didn't help itself with a minus-3 turnover margin, but part of that can be attributed to the lack of play-calling creativity, which directly led to giveaways.
I'd expect a very different approach from the Falcons offense on Monday night.
I thought the Falcons defense showed pretty well albeit against a limited Steelers offense. They only allowed six field-goal drives, with none going for more than 46 yards
Atlanta's offense did it no favors in terms of field position. The Falcons defense isn't the most talented in the league, but the late additions of Justin Simmons and Matthew Judon really raised the overall floor of this unit at positions of need. Plus, Raheem Morris is usually pretty solid when it comes to crafting opponent-specific game plans on a weekly basis.
It won't be an easy task this week against an Eagles offense that looked excellent in Week 1 — despite a few questionable throws from Jalen Hurts. I really liked the hire of new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who will bring more modernity to the Philly offense, starting simply with a significantly higher frequency of pre-snap motion.
However, A.J. Brown will miss Philly's home opener with a hamstring injury. That obviously leaves a pretty big hole on the outside, especially since the Eagles don't have superb depth at the position. It also helps out an Atlanta secondary that is very top heavy at cornerback with A.J. Terrell.
On the other side of the ball, Philly brought in well-respected defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to fix the myriad of defensive issues Philly experienced during the 2023 season. Fangio is a significant upgrade, but he does run a pretty complex defense. As a result, it usually takes some time for players to adjust to his scheme.
We saw some coverage busts and miscommunication in Week 1 against the Packers. While Green Bay does have one of the better offenses in the league and the field conditions weren't ideal for defenders, those issues could persist for a bit before everyone (especially a back end with a number of new faces) all get on the same page.
For me, Week 2 is all about fading the over-reactions of Week 1. And this game is no different, as I think the market over-corrected a bit too much after Atlanta's loss (and Philly's win to some extent). Here are some trends that back that up:
- Underdogs that failed to cover by seven or more points in Week 1 have gone 58-40 (59%) over the past 20 years.
- Week 2 Underdogs of less than a touchdown have cashed at a 57% clip since 2003. After a loss, they have fared even better at 80-50-4 (61.5%). And when those teams lose in Week 1 as favorites, that clip improves even more to 65.9% (27-14-3 against the spread).
I expect Cousins to improve with a game under his belt after returning from injury and Atlanta's play-calling to be significantly less predictable. It won't hurt that the offensive line should have an easier time with Philly than it did against Watt and company. I also think the loss of Brown is a touch more significant in this particular matchup.
Give me Atlanta to bounce back and at least keep this one close.
Pick: Falcons +6
How to Watch
| Location: | Lincoln Financial Field |
| Date: | Monday, Sept. 16 |
| Kickoff Time: | 8:15 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ESPN/ABC |
Eagles vs. Falcons is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET live from Lincoln Financial Field on Monday night. The game will be live on ESPN and ABC and can be streamed on YouTube TV.
NFL Weather
