Eagles Falcons Betting – Vick Makes His Return To Atlanta Under Primetime Lights
When Michael Vick left the Atlanta Falcons organization five years ago, he was headed straight to federal prison. This weekend, now a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, Vick returns to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta as a Pro Bowl quarterback coming off of one of the most electrifying seasons of his career. With a solid supporting cast that has already been labeled the “Dream Team”, Vick and the Eagles will look to make his return a sports betting success and drive another NFC favorite to 0-2.
- Philadelphia Eagles @ Atlanta Falcons
- Sunday September 18, 2011 – 8:25 PM ET
- Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia
NFL Betting Lines: Philadelphia Eagles – 2.5
The Falcons have much bigger concerns than the storylines surrounding this game after getting beaten up by the Chicago Bears on the road week one. Atlanta opened their previous season with a loss and went on to win 14 of their remaining 15 contests to lock up the top spot in the NFC, so the opening loss probably hasn’t shaken their confidence too badly.
NFL Betting Preview: Philadelphia Eagles
The “Dream Team” may have started slow against the St. Louis Rams week one, but the time the game was over it was easy to see why they had been given that label. Running back LeSean McCoy trampled over the Rams’ defense for 122 yards and a touchdown to the toll of an incredible 8.1 yards per carry, while Vick threw for another 187 and two touchdowns. After allowing Stephen Jackson to rush for a 47-yard touchdown on the Rams’ opening drive, the defense buckled down and allowed just two field goals the rest of the way. Philadelphia still hasn’t hit its stride on either side of the ball, but they did show flashes week one of just how dangerous they have the sports betting bonus potential to be.
NFL Betting Preview: Atlanta Falcons
For as much as people have talked about Vick and the Eagles, Matt Ryan and the Falcons have as much to prove. After registering 14 wins a year ago in a division that featured two other teams with winning records in the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta will look to take the next step this season. If they are going to have any chance, the defense will have to play much better than it did in Chicago week one both against the run and the pass. The Falcons’ defense was torched for 377 yards and left them trailing 16-3 by the time the offense got going, and by then it was too late. Ryan threw for over 300 yards, while running back Michael Turner ran for 100 on just 10 carries, but the defense will need to be better and the offense will need to adopt the necessary urgency to put up more points.
NFL Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick
The week one loss hurt the Falcons, and it should sting even more this Sunday when Vick arrives for the game he has had circled on his calendar since the schedule was first made. The Eagles have enough talent to soar over the NFC and looked good week one even without much time together, so they should be better with each passing week. Vick isn’t the same quarterback that left Atlanta five years ago, and this weekend he will return to show just how much more dangerous he has become.
NFL Betting Pick: Philadelphia Eagles – 2.5
