The Atlanta Falcons fly north to take on the Baltimore Ravens today at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. Atlanta will get a look at its new rookie quarterback in Michael Penix Jr., while Baltimore hopes to end its preseason losing skid.
Let's preview the game and dive into my Falcons vs. Ravens prediction.
Falcons vs. Ravens Prediction
Pick: Under 35.5 |
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Falcons vs. Ravens Odds
| Ravens Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -115 | 35.5 -105o / -115u | +100 |
| Ravens Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -105 | 35.5 -105o / -115u | -120 |
The spread has remained steady at Ravens -1.5 since it opened earlier in the week. The total opened at 35.5 and moved up a couple of points to 37.5 on Thursday afternoon before moving back down to 35.5.
Falcons vs. Ravens Betting Trends
- 51% of bets and 59% of the money are on the Ravens to cover the spread.
- 53% of bets and 58% of the money are on the over.
All data via Action Network's public betting percentages and as of Friday afternoon.
Sam Farley's Falcons vs. Ravens Preview
We know that the Falcons won't be playing Kirk Cousins, which gives us a chance to look at the rest of their quarterbacks.
Behind Cousins, the team has a couple of quality backup options. Taylor Heinicke is a solid second-string QB, and we saw during his time with the Commanders that he is capable of leading an offense, something that will matter in this game. However, in last week's win over the Dolphins, Heinicke only completed four of his 11 passing attempts and was outshone by Penix.
Penix was without doubt one of the most eye-opening draft picks, with the Falcons taking him eighth overall despite singing Cousins in free agency. The team certainly believes in him and he showed why in his preseason debut, racking up 104 yards.
We should see a little more of Penix here in what will be a tough test against a Ravens defense that has quality up and down the depth chart.
For the Ravens, it used to be the case that you'd automatically side with them during preseason thanks to John Harbaugh's incredible record. Since losing in Week 2 last year, though, Baltimore lost its last two preseason games last year and then its opening game against the Eagles this year.
As always, we won't be seeing Lamar Jackson anywhere near the field which means veteran Josh Johnson will get more time. The veteran Johnson had a difficult game against the Eagles, completing just 33% of his 12 passing attempts. He should start again here and should do better against a Falcons defense that isn't stacked with star quality.
Rookie Devin Leary was picked in the sixth round of this year's draft and outperformed Johnson last week, completing six of his 10 passing attempts, albeit just for 37 yards and without throwing a touchdown.
How to Watch Falcons vs. Ravens: Start Time, Channel, Location
Falcons vs. Ravens will be available to stream on NFL+. Falcons-Ravens is scheduled to kick off at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
Use Quickslip to Bet Falcons vs. Ravens
My Falcons vs. Ravens Prediction: Bet the Under
We're going to back the under here due to the potential QB play. Heinicke struggled last week and the rookie who outperformed him, Penix, is going to face a real step up here in terms of the defense he's facing.
The Ravens are strong across the board and Harbaugh won't want to keep losing preseason games; the Baltimore defense will be fired up.
However, on the other side of the ball, the Ravens lack true quality behind Jackson with neither Johnson nor Leary looking like consistent starters in this league.
Pick: Under 35.5 |
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QuickSlip is an Action Network feature that allows users to automatically pre-load their bet slip at FanDuel Sportsbook.
